Hanging By A Thread
by NeonShoeStrings
Summary: Ally's dad has left her with an abusive mother and a perverse step-father. The only light left in her life? The radiant smile of her best friend Austin, but she's still hanging by a thread. Crappy summary, just give it a chance. Rated T for a reason.
1. Chapter 1

Hanging By A Thread

Chapter One:

Ally steps into the shower, the hot water easing the aches out of her tired muscles.

She stands there for a moment, before grabbing a washcloth and scrubbing her skin clean.

She's careful around certain areas on her legs that are sporting fairly large and very noticeable bruises.

And people wonder why she doesn't wear shorts in the summer.

If, by chance, anyone sees one of them she is to tell them she is a klutz an the stairs are slippery when not properly dusted.

The bruises on her legs aren't nearly as bad as the broken bone in her elbow which hurts like hell when moved too much. Fortunately she doesn't use her left arm for much.

She lazily washes her hair, then turns off the water and steps onto the cold linoleum floor that hasn't been clean in ages.

'Cold and dirty,' she muses, 'just like him.'

Ally slaps her forehead in realization as she figures out she didn't bring clothes in with her.

She inwardly groans and gives a sorrowful look at the bathroom door.

No doubt, he's in the den watching "those kinds of shows" and getting wasted like the horny bastard he is.

She'll have to creep past him if she wants to make it to her room.

"Ugh, this is my life now," she mutters quietly.

Ally opens the door as quiet as possible but the damn thing refuses not to make its presence known.

'He's probably to drunk to hear,' she silently prays.

She's almost to the bottom of the stairs. So far, so good.

It isn't until she trips on the rug that he notices she's behind him.

"Well, what do we have here?" His sickening voice pipes up with a bit of a slur to it. "Were you trying to sneak past me, huh?"

Ally can't make any sort of protests because she's too focused on the pain. She hit her head on the bottom stair on the way down and the burns on her back from last week hadn't exactly healed yet.

Lesson learned. Don't make mom mad while you're making dinner.

"J-jack please..." she manages to squeak out.

He leans down toward her with a devilish smirk on his face. "I like it when you say my name," he whispers huskily.

The comment makes her want to gag but she's too busy holding back sobs.

Now all she can do is make a pathetic attempt to fight back while he carries her upstairs. Ultimately a battle between her and a 40 year old man who takes steroids is one she's gonna lose.

The pervert doesn't even have the decency to take her into a room where her mom isn't passed out on the floor. Not that she'd care if she woke up to that. She'd just wave it off and continue to drink herself into a stupor.

She knows that this is it. There's no where to run, but she's thankful she's been able to hold it off this long. So while he trails unpleasant and unwanted kisses down her neck, she can only cringe and wait for it to be over.

"Get off of her!" A voice, one full of hatred and anger, yells behind them.

Austin.

She breaths a sigh of relief when his bone crushing weight is release from on-top of her.

"What are you doing here, punk?" Jack bites back looking the blond dead in the eyes.

Austin does the same, "I got worried when I called Ally and she didn't pick up. Knowing she was with you pricks, I knew she was in trouble."

"You shouldn't have come here."

Austin looks behind him to the tear stained face girl wearing a terrified expression. "Looks like I came just in time, actually."

Ally kicks the unsuspecting man to the ground, jumps over him, and makes her great escape with her blond haired best friend/hero.

They run outside to his Mercedes Benz (he's a rich kid, no doubt) and hop in.

"Oh my gosh, Austin I will never be able to repay you," she gushes and grips him in a tight hug smelling his Axe body spray and never wanting to let him go.

He pushes her off lightly though. "We'll talk later," he says starting the engine up, "right now we just need to get the hell out of here."

She nods her head in agreement and he drives out of her driveway like a madman.

…

He drives and never looks back until they reach and old, abandoned park where they can talk in private.

Ally is trying her best to control her breathing and not let the tears slip over her lids.

Austin rubs her arm comfortingly letting her know its perfectly okay for her to cry.

She gets the hint and then buries her face in her palms.

He looks at his friend. She looks exhausted beyond belief and is deathly skinny. This makes him wonder when the last time she had a decent meal was. He notices her strange attire for the first time.

"Ally."

She looks up at him when she hears her name.

"Any particular reason why you're wearing a towel? And only a towel?"

"Ah, shit!" She hastens to cover herself up, blushing on the spot and suddenly becoming totally insecure.

She sighs before starting the story. "I took a shower and then realized I didn't bring any clothes with me. So I tried to sneak out, but ended up tripping on the rug and, well, I think you know the rest."

He nods, confirming the story needs no other further explanation.

Austin already knows that her stepdad is a douchebag/skirt chaser who's been trying to have his way with Ally ever since he laid eyes on her. He already knows her mom is a tramp ( not to be disrespectful to her mom, but that's one of the nicer words you can use to describe that woman) who only married Jack to feed her alcohol problem.

Memories instantly flood back to him. Thoughts of him on top of her, her with expressions of horror on her face. The thought sickens him.

"He could have killed you, ya know?" she brings this to his attention.

He gives her a humorless laugh. "I'd get my ass kicked any time if it means you can stay a virgin one more day."

She beams an appreciative smile at him. He knows that that's all she wants. Is to save herself for someone who will be gentle and who truly cares about her. If she wasn't still a virgin things would be different. She would have let him do it years ago just to get it over with so he could lose interest in her, but that wasn't the case.

She wraps her arms around his waist. "Thanks Austin."

He slings his arms around her protectively and even though its sorta awkward since they are seated in a car, they somehow make it work.

He lets go of her and notices she shivers at the loss of his warmth.

Duh, she's cold! Her hair's wet and she only wearing a skimpy towel.

"Come on," he starts up the car again, hearing the purr of the engine, "I'm gonna get you some clothes and then take you to McDonalds so you can eat till you puke."

She laughs lightly and presses her back against the leather seat. "I love you."

"Same here."

…

At his house, the Moons don't press on questions like, "where did you go," or "why were you gone so long" or even "why is Ally only wearing a towel". They are all fully aware of her situation and instead they just hug her and silently let her know they are happy she's alright.

He walks her upstairs to his bedroom. Sure, she could wear his sisters clothes, but she likes his better. They are comfortable and smell amazing.

He gives her some black jeans and his "this is my zombie killing hoodie" hoodie (one of her favorites) and she shows herself to the bathroom to change.

They both walk down the stairs. He loosely wraps his arm around her shoulder and lets his family know they are going out to eat.

Mr. and Mrs. Moon nod and before Austin and Ally can get out the door, Aiden, Austin's older brother, playfully yells, "don't worry! We won't wait up!"

Ally laughs and sticks her tongue out at him childishly. This action makes him laugh in return.

'At least she hasn't lost her sense of humor,' Austin mentally notes.

...…

The restaurant is packed with screaming kids and annoyed parents.

The truth is Austin doesn't even like McDonalds. But he knows that Ally craves their overly salted fries and that their burgers make her smile. And he'd do anything to bring a smile on her face.

He'd even let nine-year old brats bump into him constantly.

'This why they have play places,' he thinks. Images of them being locked up in those things fill his mind.

Is that mean?

He decides its probably mean and quickly puts a stop to those thoughts.

Besides, no matter how much he tries to deny it, he's a huge kid at heart.

They give the cashier their orders, receive them and make their way to the back of the restaurant to find themselves a table.

Lively conversation emerges between the two like it always does. Before they know it, they are chatting and joking and the whole world is tuned out. It's just them.

"You know," Ally looks at her fries feverishly,"today reminded me of the first time you ever rescued me."

"Oh yeah."

"Yeah."

{Flashback}

Austin and Ally were both fourteen. It had been almost a year since her dad had left.

Austin Moon was bored. For once in his life he was actually bored as he sat on his bed, playing with his newly acquired phone.

He realizes that he had texted Ally without meaning to, but just went along with wondering how she would respond to a text that said, 'hsiisj'

None came though.

That worries him. She always texted him. Even if she was busy. She would send him a text saying, 'Sorry, Austin, doing homework. Can't talk' or 'Eating dinner. Ttyl' but this time nothing.

He waits ten more minutes before he sends another text her way.

This one read, 'R u okay? Plz text back soon Ally!'

It wasn't just that she didn't text back, it was also the way she had been acting recently. She was now distant and stand-offish. She had even worn her glasses to school last week. And she never did that. Ever.

He only waits a couple more minutes before he grabs his leather jacket and climbs down the tree by his window.

He was out of breath by the time he got on her front porch. Her front door was open so he let himself in. Cautious not to make a sound.

The first thing he hears is shouting. It was Ally's mom and it was coming from the kitchen.

He creeps closer and ducks behind a plant conveniently placed in their living room.

Austin surveys the scene. There, in the small, white kitchen, was Ally's mom only wearing a robe draped around her shoulders. Standing next to her was a strange man stripped down to his boxers.

Ally was across the room from them. Her eyes were red and puffy. Fresh, new tears were running out of them like a waterfall.

"I'll drag you out of that school! You hear me? You'll never see any of those social outcasts you call friends again!"

Her mom's voice rips through the air like lightning.

"B-but... but mom," Ally sobs, "this isn't.. isn't r-right. You're married.."

"Who gives a shit?! You shouldn't because its none if your damn business!"

Austin stares in disbelief as her mom grips her around the neck and spit words of anger at her.

"Either this stays between us, or I'll ship you out on the next flight to Africa! Understood?"

Ally did her best to nod with the vice-like grip her mom had on her.

"Good," she said. "Now, James and I are going back upstairs. I trust this time we'll be uninterrupted and if we are, you can say goodbye to your boyfriend."

"He's," she pauses in order to let out a sniffle, "he's not my boyfriend."

Ally's mom laughs, "of coarse he's not! What would he want with you anyways? You drive all men away!"

Ally then collapses on the floor in a fit of tears while her mom and her mom's "friend" make their way upstairs.

Austin doesn't come out from hiding until he hears the solid thump of the door closing.

"Ally," he speaks up.

She whips her head up at the sound of her name and screams in shock/horror. "Austin! What are you doing here?! What- what you saw back there... it- it wasn't what it..."

She trails off, uncertain of what to say. He just looks at her. She looks so sad. So miserable. He frowns at the deep impressions around her neck that Ally's mom's nails gave her.

She looks so pitiful. He wants to just hug the crap out of her and tell her everything will be okay.

But he doesn't.

Instead, he grabs her small wrist and leads her away from that awful place. She doesn't protest.

They climb up the tree into his bedroom window.

"You snuck out?" She asks with two emotions in her voice. One of lecture and another of gratitude.

"I got worried when you didn't text me back," he answers simply.

"You didn't have to sneak out."

He shrugs, "who else was gonna get you to leave?"

She sits down on his bed, wiping away tears.

He sits down by her and hugs her tightly. She hugs back.

"What was that? Back at your house?" Austin questions.

She shakes her head furiously, "No, Austin, I can't. I just... can't."

"Ally," he whispers, still hugging her, "I saw the whole thing go down. There's no way you can hide it from me."

She pulls away and looks at him with his sweet, caring face. Finally she caves and lets him in on every detail of her horrible life.

He wants to cry himself, just hearing about the pain she goes through on a daily basis.

He can see she's about to cry, so he does the only thing he knows will calm her down.

He gets his guitar and strums one if her favorite songs.

_There's a calm surrender to the rush of day_

_When the heat of a rolling wind can be turned away_

_An enchanted moment, and it sees me through_

_It's enough for this restless warrior just to be with you_

_And can you feel the love tonight_

_It is where we are_

_It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer_

_That we got this far_

_And can you feel the love tonight_

_How's its laid to rest_

_It's enough for kings and vegabonds_

_To believe the very best_

He stops playing and looks over to see her eyes closed and a small snore escapes her.

He smiles down sweetly, "goodnight Als."

{end of flashback}

That's the reason that him, and only him, know her secret. Not Dez or even Trish know this.

Just him and his family, because he told her he never kept secrets from his family and she respectfully ( and reluctantly) confided in them as well.

Austin glances at her as she chews intently on her burger.

Her hair's still slightly wet, and she's in his clothes, stuffing her face with food.

But he silently decides she's never looked better.

A/N

Okay, that was my first chapter of my A&A fanfic 'Hanging By A Thread'. *sighs* I'm hoping its not as crappy as I think it is.

So, a couple of notes.

First, this story is basically completely AU. In this story Austin and Ally have known each other for years an she is his best friend and the songwriter for his band. Austin has 4 siblings and they are all in a family band ( wonder where I got that idea from? ;) ) and Ally's their songwriter.

Second, have you ever seen those hoodies thy say "this is my zombie killing hoodie" on them? I think they sell 'em at Hot Topic. Anyways they are really cool and I totally want one and that's the hoodie I was referring to in this chapter.

Third, the song I used was 'Can You Feel The Love Tonight' by Elton John. Don't hate.

Anyways, please review this chapter telling me what you think. Please?

Kthanxbai!


	2. Chapter 2

Hanging By A Thread

Chapter Two:

Once they get back to Austin's house, they crash onto his couch. Which she swears is the most comfortable couch in the world.

Austin sneaks sideways glances at Ally every now and then while pretending to be busy with his phone.

Ally is wearing a smile on her bubblegum pink lips, but masked under that is another expression.

Her features are etched with sadness.

He doesn't like that.

Not one bit.

"So..." she says, picking at the dark purple nail polish on her nails.

"So?" Austin replies, putting his phone away.

"Does this mean you're gonna live with me?" he asks for about the millionth time.

"Austin.." She sighs, "you know I can't."

"Why not!? You always get in trouble over there and say how much you hate it, but then as soon as you get to my house all you wanna do is go back," Austin finishes in a tone of frustration.

"If I leave, what's gonna happen to my mom? " Ally looks him fully in the eyes. "Who's gonna make sure she eats? Bathes? Doesn't go wandering around the neighborhood naked? Certainly not Jack."

"You're really still worried about that woman?"

"I know she hasn't been the best mother lately, but Austin," her voice breaks slightly, "she's still my mom and deep down I know she's still in there."

Austin sighs and takes her small hand in his. He doesn't press the issue or try to pressure her into doing something she really doesn't want to. After all, she gets enough of that at home. If she's gonna move in with his family, he wants it to be on her own terms.

"I'm just scared," Austin can feel tears welling up ( he only ever cries when it has to do with her), "scared something bad will happen to you. That you'll have an "accident" and end up in the hospital, or..."

Now it's her turn to comfort him. She wraps her arms around him in a tight embrace and he does the same.

"Nothing's gonna happen to me as long as you're around."

"Damn straight," he says through tears.

"I swear its the truth!" Alex Moon shouts as he and his three other siblings come barging into the living room.

"Alex, that's complete bull-"

"Ssssssh!" Avery cuts off her older brother and points to the couch, "they're having a moment!"

Austin and Ally turn around at the adorers behind them.

"Don't mind us," Alex sing-songs, "just keep doing what you're doing."

In response Ally throws a pillow at him.

He screams like a girl before dropping to the floor. "Hit the deck! She's got pillows!"

"See Alex!" Aiden hisses at his younger brother, "this is why you don't poke the bear!"

"You guys are so stupid!" Ally tells the guys as they lay on the carpeted floor.

Avery nods in agreement. She's the only one of the Moon sibling (besides Austin) who isn't on the floor huddled in the feeble position.

Ally's phone beeps and she fishes it out of her pocket.

"I, uh, have to go," she states, "mom's hungry."

Austin swallows thickly as his over-protective nature kicks in.

"Drive me home, will you?"

He nods slowly and grabs his keys.

The family all hugs her, not wanting to let her leave.

But they do.

An unsettling silence fall between the two seventeen-year-olds. Before they know it, they're in her driveway.

"Here we are," he mutters quietly.

She nods and notices rain drops are rolling down the window like they are in a race to the bottom.

She then heaves a sigh and pulls the passenger side door open.

He places his hand on her wrist gently, yet firmly.

"Austin..." She grumbles quietly trying to coax him to loosen his grip and let her go.

"You have to know this is hard for me," he replies and looks out his window.

"Hey," she places a hand on his shoulder. This brings his attention back to the brunette. "It's gonna be okay. It always is."

She gives his hand a reassuring squeeze before she leaves the car and walks onto her porch.

She braces herself for the hurtful comments, the hitting, the bruises, the sexual harassment she will have to endure.

'Its not her, it's the alcohol,' she thinks, trying hard to fight back tears.

…

Ally really has no idea where her day starts go to hell, but she suspects that it happened somewhere well within the afternoon.

Before she knows it her mom is pushing drinks on her saying that, "a sober Ally isn't a good Ally for a party."

At first she tries to refuse the alcohol, but she's cried so much her head is pounding and she could really use a numbing.

Loud rock music blasts through the air.

Several kids from her school (ones whose names have escaped her) are there. Drunk as hell she might add.

Also, the couch has been flipped upside down.

Ally runs upstairs to her room to get away from all the noise.

Surprisingly, no wasted teenagers are attempting crazy sex on her bed.

She's sober enoughto have an idea of what she's doing and yet, just drunk enough to not care.

…

She could have sent it and really meant it.

But to Austin, that seemed to good to be true. So when he looks at his phone screen and sees a text message from Ally that says,

'Lonely and horny! You want to come and show me a good time? ;)'

he knows its a drunk-text.

And if she's drunk-texting, she must be drunk.

And if she's drunk, she must be in trouble.

And if she's in trouble, he has to go rescue her.

As soon as he makes a left onto her block he can hear the insanely loud music.

Her mom is having a party. Random strangers are sprawled out across her lawn. Some of them say 'hi' to him and he realizes they are people he goes to school with.

He only thinks about it for a moment before he runs inside looking for her.

The inside was even more chaotic than the outside. The place was littered with plastic cups, scraps of food, and he was pretty sure that was a used condom lying over there by the fridge.

Horrific realization washes over him as he realizes she was upstairs, possibly with company.

That thought makes him mad and he barrels his way up to her room.

At first, it looks like she was crying.

Tears prick her brown eyes as she holds her stomach in one hand and her phone in the other.

Ally looks up to see him standing in the doorway giving her a look of confusion.

In some sort of attempt to explain, she holds up her iPhone to show she had been looking at the iFunny app.

'How much of a dork can this girl be?' he thinks with a playful smile.

Two whole minutes had passed before she stops giggling and clears her throat.

She puts her phone away and walks up to him. "What took you so long?" She whispers huskily and lays a hand on his chest.

Where the hell did that come from?

That hand makes it's way a little lower than it should have been and Austin quickly grabs it before it could go any farther.

"Ally-"

He's quickly cut off by the sound of a police siren. Looking out the window, he sees a police car parked in their yard and two officers are talking to her mom.

He watches a bit longer as they try and drag her into the car, but she drunkenly refuses.

"We gotta get you out of here!" Austin says with urgency.

She smiles up at him seductively. "My house, your house. I'll take you anywhere I can get you."

'Ugh,' he thinks giving her a good once over, 'why does she have to look like that and act like that only when she's drunk.'

He shakes his head and starts to pack a few of her things in a suitcase.

When he's finished he picks her up bridal style, carries her to the car, and drives the all too familiar way back to his house.

No ones home when they arrive and he doesn't know where his family is nor does he care.

Right now he has a drunken friend on his hands.

He takes her up to his room and drops her (gently) on his bed.

She pats the spot on the bed next to her and he bites down on the inside of his cheek.

Hard.

Instead of obeying her command, he brings his desk chair to the bed and sits in it.

She pouts at this action. "Why don't you come closer?"

"I think that would be a," thick swallow, "very, very bad idea."

She shakes her head and her ombré curls bounce slightly. "I think it'd be a very, very good idea."

With that she takes him and pushes him on the bed.

He's never seen this side of her before and maybe if it wasn't just the alcohol at work, he'd admit that he likes this side.

A lot.

Like, a lot a lot.

She crashes her lips onto his and it takes pretty much all his self control not to roughly kiss her back.

There's a part of him that really wants it. Wants it bad. Because on the list of girls he'd want his first time to be with, she'd be first one on the list.

He's liked her, in a more-than-friend way, since they started high school. She had changed a lot over that summer. She wore contacts instead of her thick, nerd glasses and her wardrobe had changed drastically.

Trish had done some serious damage control.

But she was more than just a pretty face. She had a personality too. She was a huge dork (that hadn't changed) but she was so dorky it was actually adorable.

She was adorkable.

Also, she was always in a good mood. Despite her broken home.

She was sweet, cool, talented, amazing and no matter what negative thing someone would say about her, he'd have 20 positive things to match.

Everyone had pretty well learned not to say anything about Ally Dawson. And if you do, don't let Austin hear you.

The sensible part of him knows that when its morning she'll regret everything she did.

Including this.

So, reluctantly, he breaks away from the kiss.

She gives him a look of hurt.

He sighs and runs his fingers through his golden blond locks.

"Ally, under any other circumstances, I'd be acting different about this, but," he pauses to laugh, "if I sleep with you tonight, you'll kill me in the morning."

She gets off of him and repositions into a less suggestive one. She rests her head on his chest and snuggles into his embrace when he wraps an arm around her.

"You're a good guy, Austin Moon," she says sleepily.

"Yep," he agrees, "it's a blessing and a curse."

She laughs and then looks up at him. Lightly pressing her lips onto his one last time before pulling away all too soon.

"Goodnight Austin," she whispers and then falls asleep in his arms.

He stares down at the angel next to him. "Goodnight Ally."

And they stay that way for the whole night.

**A/N**

**Chapter two is FINISHED! Huzzah!**

**I think I kinda like the sweet/sensitive Austin a little more than the one in the last chapter. I dunno...**

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed on the last chapter ( Apeape2000, LoveShipper, and some guests) and to those who followed or favorited this story. You guys are amazing! **

**Please review! Reviews are very much appreciated! **

**Kthanxbai!**


	3. Chapter 3

Hanging By A Thread

Chapter Three:

Ally wakes up with a pounding in her head and a pair of brown eyes staring at her.

She jumps up and bangs her head against the headboard.

"She's awake!" Alex ( the pair of brown eyes) chirps cheerfully.

Austin and Avery walk into the bedroom. Austin with a plate of eggs and bacon.

"You made me breakfast?" She asks skeptically as he lays the plate on her lap.

"Yep."

Avery slaps her brother's chest.

"Ow. Okay, fine, my mom made you breakfast. I just delivered it to you," he admits sheepishly.

She nods, "that's more like it."

Austin shifts nervously on the balls of his feet. "Can I , uh, talk to Ally alone?"

Avery nods and grabs her brother by the ear to drag him out.

Austin is silent, even after they leave. Ally chews on her bacon and swigs it down with a drink of orange juice.

"What did you want to talk about?" She says after she's done eating.

"Well," Austin has a nervous smile on his face, "what do you remember about last night?"

She freezes, "oh no! Oh no! Oh no!"

She cries in horror and rests her head in her palms.

"How drunk was I?"

Austin laughs nervously (something she doesn't take as a good sign) "Well," he doesn't really know how to put last night into words.

"You might have come onto me. Two or three times."

Ally groans frustrated,"I can't believe that- I didn't mean for..."

He waves it off showing she need not apologize.

"That's not really what I wanted to talk about," he says and she sits up and looks at him seriously.

"What's on your mind?"

This is another great thing about her. He can talk to her about anything. No matter what it is, she's always willing to listen.

Or at least he thought he could talk to her about anything. This particular topic is very hard for him.

"Austin," she waves her hand in front of him, as she is now in front of him.

"Uh, sorry," he mumbles as he looks into her hazel eyes.

"That's okay," she smiles sweetly.

He shakes his head to clear his thoughts. "I brought some stuff with you. In a suitcase," he gestures to her big blue suitcase on the far wall.

"It's a good possibility your mom got arrested last night," he tells her.

"What?!" Ally sputters and looks around frantically for her phone. "I have to find out what happened to her."

"Ally," he grabs her shoulders and pulls her to him, "you can't go back there. If your mom really did get arrested, what does that mean for you? You'll be stuck with Jack."

Ally doesn't like that thought and neither does Austin.

"So, I guess you're living with us now?"

She sighs and rubs her temples. "I don't know Austin. I have to take a shower and take all this in."

He nods and lets her go as she grabs clothes out of the suitcase he packed.

…

Ally places herself on the worlds most comfortable couch and takes out her cell phone to text her mom.

'I'm at Austin's. Are you okay?'

She sighs and places her phone on her lap.

Without her knowing, a Moon has seated himself on the couch next to her.

She jumps in fright in finding him next to her.

"You seriously have to stop doing that!" She holds her hand to her chest and tries to control her heartbeat.

"Sorry," Alex stifles a laugh and she takes in the fact that he looks so much like Austin, and the rest of his brothers, and his sister.

He smirks, "getting lost in my eyes, are ya?"

She rolls her eyes at the cocky sixteen-year-old. 'He acts just like his brothers, too.'

"So, are you living with us now?" He asks with genuine confusion.

"I don't know," Ally replies, "do you want me to live with you?"

"Hell yea!" He whoops and fist-pumps the air.

She laughs and looks down at her phone.

Still no reply.

"Austin really wants you to," Alex tells her seriously. "I know he does."

Ally nods slowly and puts her phone away.

"I guess I'm a Moon," she says and smiles.

Alex can't control his excitement before he grabs her and hugs the shit out of her. Then exclaims, "she's one of us now! Muahahahaha!"

"You're so strange," Ally says and takes a look at the rest of the Moon gang who crash onto the couch and tackle her in hugs.

She laughs at the craziness of this family.

Her family.

…

Trish comes back with a coffee for herself and one for her friend as well.

Ally gives the Latina a silent 'thank you' and sips her coffee.

"So, what's up with you?" Trish asks impatiently, "I feel like I haven't seen you in forever!"

"I know," Ally laughs and then shrugs, "and nothing's happened with me, really, same old Ally. What about you?"

Trish then goes on and on about her latest jobs and shopping endeavors. Ally tries to listen but can't shake the guilty feeling gnawing at her stomach.

Yes, she should have told Trsih that she was living with the Moons. But if she did Trish would ask why and how would she respond to that?

It's not that she didn't trust Trish because she did. They'd been friends since the seventh grade. She just couldn't get Trish involved in her crazy life. If she did, she knew Trish would go down there and give Jack a peice of her mind because Trish knows no boundaries. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if something happened to Trish.

Ally smiles and thinks back to the day they had first met Trish.

Dez, Austin, and Ally walked into their homeroom laughing their asses off at something completely stupid Dez said.

Mrs. Roberts cleared her throat. The trio composed themselves and made their way to their respectful seats.

"Class, we have a new student starting with us today," She gestured to the curly haired girl in the back of the room who tried to ignore all the stares she was getting. "Guys, this is Patricia De La Rosa."

"Call me Trish," she mumbled.

"I told you, you're gonna have to speak up," the teacher told her sternly.

"I said call me Trish, goddammit!" She raged and everyone looked back at her in surprise.

She just huffed and went back to hiding from everyone's stares.

Ally smiled, noticing this girls shyness.

"What's up with bitch-zilla back there?" Austin whispered to Ally.

Ally opened her mouth to protest, but the voice from the back spoke up again.

"Hey I heard that! Next time lower your voice when you whisper, smart ass!"

And on that lovely note, class began.

After school, Ally didn't wait up for her friends.

Instead she walked into the school office to see a familiar dark haired girl sitting in a blue fabric chair.

"Hey," she spoke softly.

Trish looked up at her and then back away again. "What do you want?"

"Just to say hi and that my names Ally Dawson." Ally held out hand.

Trish raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What am I suppose to do that?"

"Shake it. What do they not have handshakes in South America?" She laughed lightly.

"I'm from Texas you bimbo," Trish replied bitterly.

Ally doesn't know what to say at first, but then decided on words she was not quite sure about. "What makes you think I'm a bimbo?"

"No, no you're right," she looked at Ally for a moment, "you're too ugly to be a bimbo."

Ally doesn't take this too personally. She can tell this whole insulting thing is just a defense mechanism in order not to let people in.

So she sits down on the chair next to Trish.

"What's wrong with you?"

Ally smiled, "I can see through your whole tough girl facade. You just need a friend that's all."

"You're a freak Dawson."

"Yes," Ally got up and walked toward the door, "yes I am."

Ally winked at Trish from inside the doorway before walking down the hall.

She swore she heard the sound of a Latina laugh and she smiled to herself when she does.

A week later not much has changed. Trish is still back talking teachers and being her loud and snarky self.

It's the end of the day and Trish was actually able to go home on time and doesn't have detention.

She walked out the door and found the familiar brunette and some guy whose obviously not getting the hint that he's being a tool.

'Austin must not have been at school today' Trish thought noting how he was like a pit bull to the brunette.

She decided to take this one into her own hands since he wasn't there to.

She walked up behind him, tapped his shoulder, and punched him in the nose when he had fully faced her.

That was it.

Ever since then they'd been best friends. And nothing had changed since.

"Ally!" Ally hears her name being yelled as she's reeled back into consciousness.

"How long was I gone?"

"A while," Trish states.

"Ugh," she face palms, "sorry."

Trish shrugs, "it's fine."

She smirks when she's done drinking. "Dreaming about Austin again weren't you?"

"No," Ally rolls her eyes.

"Why don't you two just date already?"

"Ally almost spits her coffee out. "Because! I don't know!" She composes herself once more. "It's not like he likes me anyway."

"Yeah, sure," she replies sarcastically.

"What? He doesn't!"

"Ally," Trish says sharply, "he's been in love with you ever since you, ya know, developed."

Ally flushes in embarrassment. "Trish!"

"What!?" She giggles, "Its true! Puberty has been kind to you. Austin's noticed it too."

She tries her best not to smile. The growing blush is bad enough. "Then why hasn't he asked me out yet huh? Austin always goes after what he wants."

"I don't know. Guys are complicated."

She groans, "why can't boys come with instruction manuals?"

Trish shrugs. "Maybe he's worried that he's not what you want. Is he?"

"Whaaaaat? No," Ally rubs her arm uncomfortably, "maybe... I guess ... I don't know."

Ally stammers as she tries to get her thoughts together. "It's just, Austin's my safety net. I wouldn't want to do anything to jeopardize that."

"Well, then I guess it just comes down to how much you really need a safety net."

'More than you know,' Ally thinks feeling guilty again.

…

Ally flops down on the couch, exhausted.

No wonder the girls so skinny. She walks everywhere she goes.

Not having a license really bites her in the ass sometimes.

Austin, Alex, and Aaron are all playing some mind numbing video game on the xBox.

Whether its Call of Duty or Halo, she has no idea. It's really all the same to her.

Alex must be doing well because he's trash talking like there's no tomorrow.

"Beat that son! I just killed you so hard you had to come back to life to be killed again!"

Suddenly there's an explosion-like noise that comes from the tv and Austin laughs uncontrollably.

"Stick that in your juice box and suck it, little boy!"

"Your mom," Alex mutters back lamely. Clearly disappointed that he is no longer winning.

"Dude his mom is your mom," then Aaron shoves him harshly, "and she's also my mom too. Don't be bringing my momma into this!"

Ally laughs at the trio and makes her way upstairs because she's definitely had enough of that.

Avery is inside her purple room strumming a guitar.

Ally joins her in said room realizing just how little time the two have spent together in a long time.

They used to be best friends ( not to say that they still aren't close) but then she started being friends with her brothers, and became their songwriter, as well and some where along the road they stopped spending so much time just the two of them.

"Hey Als," Avery says, using the nickname the Moons had given her.

"We should go shopping sometime soon," Ally says, disregarding the blond's greeting.

Nevertheless, she nods enthusiastically. "I agree."

"I've missed you Ave," Ally says and hugs her. Avery has to put away the guitar before thy can hug for real though.

"I know right, what with you ditching me for my brother and all," she laughs.

"You're never gonna let that go are you?"

"Probably not. Speaking of my brothers what exciting adventures are they up to?"

"Video games," and with that answer both girls groan.

"They are so boring, but," Avery responds with a mischievous grin, "I know how to fix that."

Ally doesn't have time to question, before Avery blasts her stereo to full volume and grabs Ally wrist, leading her down the stairs.

_It feels like a perfect night, _

_To dress up like hipsters _

_And make fun of our exes, oh oh, oh oh_

_It feels like a perfect night,_

_For breakfast at midnight_

_To fall in love with strangers, oh oh, oh oh_

Ally and Avery instantly fall in tune with the music and the boys just laugh and pause the game in order to join them.

_Yeah, we're happy, freaked, confused, and lonely at the same time_

_It's miserable and magic, oh yeah_

_Tonight's the night when we forget about the deadline, it's time_

By now the boys are dancing too and singing along because no matter how much they want to deny it, they love Taylor Swifts songs and know all the words to this one.

_I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 22_

_Everything will be alright if you keep me next to you_

_You don't know about me, but I bet you want to_

_Everything will be alright if we just keep_ dancing like we're 22

Austin grabs Ally's hand and is prodding her to break out her (as she would call it) one good move.

She protests knowing very well all the Moons would make fun of her, but they all shout back at her that they won't. Obviously luring her into a false sense of security. Which she falls for.

Damn Moons can be very persuasive.

Of coarse they laugh at her. Like she expected, but soon enough they are dancing her dance along with her and honestly she can't remember having a day this great since a long time ago.

Mr. and Mrs. Moon walk through the door and find the kids laughing and the stereo turned way too loud.

"Turn it down before the neighbors call the cops," Mrs. Moon says trying to sound as stern as possible even though they all know she likes this song as well.

"Ragu, ground beef, noodles, garlic bread," Austin lists all the groceries in the bag his mom is carrying, his mouth practically drooling more with each one.

"You know what that means," Aaron chimes in.

"Moms making spaghetti!" And just like that all the boys are giddy like little girls at a Justin Beiber concert.

"You know what that means," their mom counters, mocking their tones.

"The boys get to help her!" Their dad says doing the same thing.

"On second thought," Alex turns around to make his way upstairs, but Aaron grabs his shirt.

"Where do you think you were going?"

"Uh, to turn the stereo off, duh."

Aaron only shakes his head and pushes him into the kitchen.

All eight family members (yes, including Ally) make dinner and just like everything else with the Moons, it's chaotic and fun.

Never a dull moment in that house.

Alex burns the bread and his only defense is that everyone should know not to put him in charge of such an important task.

"As long as you put love into whatever you make it will always taste good," Mrs. Moon tells them.

"Love? Is that what that crusty, black stuff on the top of overly cooked food is?" Aiden chides playfully while his brother gives him a menacing glare.

"Alright, fine," he decides, "you don't get any garlic bread then. Ally gets your piece."

"Oh," Aiden turns his attention to the brunette, "I'm sorry Ally."

That's pretty much how the rest of the dinner goes.

Everyone making playful digs at Alex's cooking.

…

They decide to watch a movie in there home theatre downstairs.

Told ya they were rich.

The gang argues over what movie to watch as they try and pick something off of Netflix.

Alex wants to watch some stupid horror movie, Avery wants to watch The Vow, and Austin doesn't really care as long quote, unquote: it doesn't have Channing Tatum in it.

Maybe or maybe not for the fact that he's admittedly Ally's celebrity crush.

Is it stupid to be jealous of a guy who she'll never meet, is way older than her, and is already married anyway?

Probably, but to Austin anyone Ally feels even the slightest bit of romantic feeling towards, that isn't him, he hates.

Plus it doesn't help that the guys is Channing freaking Tatum and is shirtless in pretty much every single movie he's in.

"Can't you guys just decide so we can watch a movie before I go to my senior prom?" Ally asks tiredly.

"You wanna pick?" Austin asks and then does something no one has ever seen him do before.

He gives away the tv remote.

And it's that moment that all the siblings know.

Ally is something special to Austin. More special than the kind of special they think she is.

Which is pretty dang special.

"Thank you," she smiles appreciatively and picks Sixteen Candles. One of her favorite movies of all time.

"You like this movie?" Aiden asks. "It's kinda old."

"This movie is a classic! John Hughes is a genius. Plus I love Anthony Michael Hall as The Geek. Totally adorable."

'Figures,' Austin thinks, 'would've been better with the Channing Tatum movie.'

It's almost the end of the movie when Ally receives a phone call from an unfamiliar number.

"Who's calling you?" Austin wonders not recognizing the number either.

"I don't know," she gets off the couch and answers the phone. "I'll be back."

"Hello," Ally answers with uncertainty.

"Hello, may I please speak to Miss Allison Dawson?" the sweet sounding lady on the other line says.

"This is she."

"I'm calling regarding your mother, Melissa Dawson. She has been recently checked into our rehab facility."

Ally's so shocked she almost drops her phones

"She-she's what?"

**A/N**

**Kay, so chapter three took a little longer than I thought it would, but still.**

**Thank you MusicIsLove4Real, LoveShipper, AusllyLover0902, LilRed29621, Apeape2000, Rainpath4, and all the guests who reviewed the last chapter. Please keep them up! They are so sweet and make me smile! **

**The song used in this chapter: 22 by Taylor Swift**

**For those of you who have never seen Sixteen Candles, it's a John Hughes movie made in the 80s and is one of my favorite movies ever!**

**I love, love, love Anthony Michael Hall ( who plays The Geek in that movie) **

**And Channing Tatum ;) **

**I mean come on who doesn't love Channing!**

**Anyways hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!**

**Kthanxbai!**


	4. Chapter 4

Hanging By A Thread

Chapter Four

All of a sudden Ally's world is like a window and this phone call is a rock and once that rock is thrown into that window it's destroyed and there's no way to put it back together.

"Your mother has been checked into the Southern Florida Rehabilitation Facility and is requesting to see you."

A moment passes before anyone says anything.

"So I pencil in a date for your visitation?" The lady asks.

"N-no," Ally says hastily and then hangs up.

She stands still for a moment, not able to walk, talk, move or even think.

"Are you okay? Who called you?" Aaron and the rest come up behind her.

"Uh, wrong number," she lies and gives the blondes a fake smile.

They all seem to believe her and go back into the theatre room.

Austin waits behind for her. "You sure you're okay?"

She nods again and pushes past him.

He lets it go.

For now at least.

They watch the rest of the movie, but Ally can't concentrate on it. She's to busy thinking about the phone call she'd just received.

When it's over they all go to bed.

Ally takes a quick shower and then changes into black sweat pants and a plain white tank top. She puts her hair in a messy bun.

Once in Austin's room, she flops on his bed on her stomach.

He's not in there yet.

He might be taking a shower or eating.

Knowing Austin its more than likely the latter.

Ally wants to stay up long enough to talk to him, but he can't fight the sleep long enough before she's drifting into unconsciousness.

…

There's a rustling of covers and gradually the weight of the bed is shifted.

Ally looks up to see her beat friend trying to position himself back under the covers, a sandwich in his left hand.

"Sorry did I wake you?" He asks but his words are muffled by the bite if sandwich he just took.

"Yes, but I forgive you." She eyes his sandwich longingly.

He notices this and rips it in two, handing her the piece he just ate off of.

She looks at him with raised eyebrows until he realizes what he's done and switch out the pieces.

"Wow," she muses and takes a bite, "someone's tired."

"I was, but my stomach kept waking me up, so I made myself a snack."

"It's good. What's on it?"

He eyes the contents closely, "uh, pastrami, salami, ham... pickles, mayonnaise, tomatoes, and... uh, peanut butter."

"Peanut butter?" She says skeptically.

"What? You were all for eating before you knew I put peanut butter on it."

This is true.

Plus she's tired and hungry and he was kind enough to let her have half of it so she doesn't any further complain.

"So," he speaks up, dying to ask her this question, "who really called you tonight?"

She laughs lightly, "yeah, I was kinda hoping to talk to you about that. How'd you know I was lying before?"

"Because I know you," he smirks, " better than anyone."

"The call was from the Southern Florida Rehab Facility. My mom has been checked in there and apparently wants to see me."

"Are you gonna go?"

"No," she looks down at her hands.

"Why not?"

"Because, if I go down there she's gonna be sober- something she hasn't been in a while- and what if who she was before, the hurtful comments and the bullying, what if it wasn't just the alcohol," Ally's voice breaks slightly, "what if it was just her."

Austin doesn't know what to say or do. All he knows is that he doesn't want her to cry again.

"Austin, I don't think I could handle that." She's now on the verge of tears.

"Hey, hey," he brings her into a tight hug and rubs her back, "it's okay."

She smiles up at him weakly, eyes brimming with tears.

"I wish I knew what to say that would make you feel better, but I don't have any experience in this situation."

"It's okay, Austin," she assures him, "you've helped me plenty. I can't thank you enough for all you've done. Rescuing me and letting me live with your family."

"Knowing you're safe is thanks enough," he tells her and she once again melts into his embrace.

She can't help but feel like this is right.

Like this is how it's suppose to be.

Living with him.

Certainly nothing in a romantic sort of way.

At least that's what she tells herself.

Trish's words play back in her mind.

They let go ( all too quickly for either one of their likings) and and empty feeling rests in the put of Ally's stomach. She knows that it's not just from being hungry.

They go back to their original positions and finish their late night snacks.

When Ally's done, she snuggles further into the warm covers.

Austin mimics her actions when he's done and she soon feels a warm hand ease into hers.

She doesn't refuse it like he half expected her to. Instead she weaves their fingers together and with that both teenagers fall into a peaceful sleep.

…

Austin smiles when he wakes up and sees they are still holding hands.

He frowns, though, when he realizes he will have to break the contact.

He gets up, cautious not to wake the brunette, and grabs some clothes to change into before he goes downstairs to shower.

Aiden is the only other one wake. He's eating pancakes at the island.

Austin spots the stack of them in the middle of the table and decides he doesn't have to shower right that minute.

He says good morning to his brother before digging into his breakfast.

Neither of them say anything to the other until Aiden is finished.

"Do you think it's possible you might have some... intimate feeling for Ally?" Aiden asks nonchalantly.

"Intimate feelings for Ally? No way dude," Austin answers pretty convincingly. He's a really good liar actually.

Just not when it comes to his family.

"You sure?" Aiden asks again, "because no one would blame you I'd you did. Ally's awesome and she's pretty hot too."

"Is she? I hadn't noticed," Austin says it like its the first time he's ever thought about it.

"So you guys are just friends?"

"Uh huh."

"Nothing more?"

"Nope."

"Good," Aiden tells him, "cause I was thinking about asking her out."

"You were what!?" Austin is immediately shocked/anger at what his brother just said.

"Yeah, why you have a problem with that?"

"No," he scoffs, "it would just be totally inappropriate seeing how you're twenty and she's only seventeen."

"Yeah, but she's mature for her age."

"Okay are you purposely trying to piss me off dude?" Austin asks through gritted teeth.

"Just tell me you like her and I'll take it all back."

"I don't like her!" Austin shouts and Aiden is taken back by his brothers anger.

Austin lays his head on the marble countertop. "I don't have time to like her. I'm too busy being in love with her."

Aiden smirks, "then why don't you tell her that?"

"Because it'd be totally ridiculous," he answers, "she has absolutely no interest in me at all."

"How do you know that?"

"Because, I've seen the way she acts around guys she likes, it's not how she acts around me.

"Besides she probably just thinks I'm some playboy. I've never had a serious relationship and she knows it. She probably thinks I lost my virginity to some random chick years ago, when in reality I've never even slept with a girl before."

"Wait a minute," Aiden interrupts him, "you've never had sex before? Not once?"

"No, never."

"Huh, I thought you were just lying to mom so she wouldn't hound you with questions. All of us boys have had sex before, even Alex and he's younger than you."

"Yeah, but Alex is a player."

Aiden nods in agreement. "Why haven't you yet?"

He shrugs and plays with a loose thread hanging of his black converse t-shirt. "Saving myself."

"For her?"

"Damn it, Aiden, I don't know. Just for someone. Maybe her."

"I didn't mean to-"

Austin cuts him off, "just forget it."

He gets up and goes to take a shower like he had planned on doing in the first place.

When he goes up to his room, he sees a familiar brunette sitting on his bed, strumming his guitar.

"Hey," he grabs her attention.

"Hey you." Her eye dart up to his wet hair and then down to his exposed chest.

'Yeah, he's gorgeous,' she feels kind of weird thinking it, but knows its true.

Golden blonde hair and brown eyes matched with his flawless skin and amazing body.

That boy is attractive.

Scratch that.

That boy is fucking hot.

She flushes at the things she's thinking and quickly looks down at the ground so he doesn't realize she was staring at him.

He puts his shirt on (its about time) and takes a seat,on the edge of the bed, next to her.

"What do you wanna do today?" He asks casually.

'You.'

Okay did she really just think that?

Ugh, where is this side of her coming from?

Is he bringing this out of her?

Or this Trish's doing?

"Actually, I promised your sister I'd go shopping with her today. Sorry."

"What?" He frowns, "that is so unfair."

"Technically it isn't. I was her best friend first you know," Ally points out to him.

"Austin Monica Moon, you really new to learn how to share," she tells him.

"That's a skill I never mastered."

"Well either way, I'm going shopping with your sister whether you like it or not."

He crosses his arms over his chest and pouts like a child.

Gosh, he could be so adorable.

"I'll make it up to you I swear!" She calls out as he walks over to his sister's room.

"You better!" He yells back.

…

"I gotta use the bathroom, watch my bags will ya?" Avery asks Ally in the middle of the mall food court.

"Sure thing," Ally replies and takes out her phone to check her Facebook since there's nothing else to do.

Suddenly she feels a presence behind her and instantaneously they turn her around and kiss her.

She pushes them off and before she can tell at them for scaring we to death the culprit is jumping to an explanation.

"I'm so sorry! My friends were bored and they dared me to kiss you. I wouldn't have said yes if they hadn't blackmailed me. Don't think I'm just some freak who goes around kissing hot strangers."

"I..." She can't think of any words to say. Maybe she should just slap him, but something about him makes her believe he's being totally honest.

"It's fine," she sighs, " I forgive you."

"Thanks," he smiles and then extends a hand towards her. "I'm Matt."

"Ally," she shakes his hand.

The boy she now knows as Matt has dark brown hair and blue/green eyes.

He rubs the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Would it be too much to ask for your number?"

She smiles and shakes her head.

He gives her a sharpie and shows her where his friends are sitting.

She waves to them and then proceeds to write her number on his arm, making sure his friends see this.

Avery comes back in time to see some guy walk away from Ally and tell her he'll call her.

"Who was that?" She asks truly confused.

"Matt, the cut guy who was dared to kiss me."

"Wow," Avery interjects, "you go to the bathroom for five minutes and you miss everything."

…

Two days had passed since Ally's run in with Matt at the mall.

He did eventually call her and asked her out and he happily accepted.

Ally was in Avery's room, getting ready for her date.

Austin was on the couch, quite unhappy about the whole thing.

"What if this guys a pervert?" Austin had asked her when she told him about her date.

"He's not a pervert," She replied, holding two dresses up and trying to figure out which one to wear.

"You said he randomly walked up to you and kissed you. That sounds pretty pervy to me."

"He didn't do it intentionally," she paused to put the red dress back in the closet, "he was blackmailed into it by his friends and apologized immediately after. He's actually a really nice guy."

He didn't get a chance to protest before she pushed him out saying she needed to change.

That conversation had taken place two hours ago.

It was now 7:13 and Matt would be there any minute to take Ally away from him.

Ally applies the last bit of make up to herself.

She had ended up wearing her black dress with white lace and tan mid-calf boots.

She left her hair straight for the night, letting it flow down her shoulders.

She slips on her jean jacket and skips happily down the stairs when she hears the doorbell.

Austin is already at the door, interrogating the poor guy like she expected him to.

Ally's father wasn't there to do it so someone had to.

"Matt it's great to see you again." She steps outside to hug him, completely ignoring Austin.

Damn, that hurt.

Like someone stabbing a knife into his chest and ripping his heart to shreds.

Except, like, a hundred times worse.

She introduces Matt to everyone and then whispers into Austin's ear, "please don't go overboard on the over protective beat friend thing."

He makes no answer just hugs her and tells her to have fun.

Then watches as they walk to his car. Laughing, having a good time,all while completely breaking Austin's spirit.

He doesn't play xBox that night, but instead listens to 3oh!3 songs because they seem wildly appropriate.

When she gets back home she has the biggest smile on her face.

This makes him smile, because when someone you love is happy it makes you happy.

Even if you aren't the cause of the happiness.

He decides he does love her.

A lot.

He thinks about telling her how much he loves her and wants to be with her, but ultimately decided against it because underneath his cool guy personality, he's shy and insecure too and just can't get the nerve to tell her.

Maybe one day he will.

But for now, as she squeals to his sister how amazing her date was, he sits in his dark room. Headphones in. Volume up. And just stares blankly at the wall.

_You know I rep this shit_

_Got it tatted on my skin_

_If you fucking with my city_

_Then you fucking with my kin_

_You know I rep this shit_

_Got my hands up on your chest_

_Motherfuckers best believe it_

_That you fucking with the best_

**A/N**

**Ugh, I'm afraid this chapter sucks which makes me upset cause I really wanna do a good job for you guys. I wrote this chapter once , but when I went to copy it I hit paste instead and everything was ruined so cha, pretty disappointing. I ended up writing it all over again in an hour and a half. Sorry for mistakes I was so tired I decides not to proof read.**

**The next three chapters will be better. I've already written them kind of, like I have all the concepts figured out, but not the actual words.**

**I really wanna get Auslly together! Originally I was gonna have them get together next chapter but decided against it. Drama makes for a better story. So you'll just have to wait.**

**Thanks to LoveShipper ( I seriously love you so much! You are so sweet to review every single chapter!) and IHeartMusic-2 and the guest for reviewing the last chapter. Please continue! I love to hear your guys feed back.**

**Song used in this chapter: 'I'm not your boyfriend baby' by 3oh!3**

**Kthanxbai!**


	5. Chapter 5

Hanging By A Thread

Chapter Five:

It had been nearly two weeks since Ally and Matt's first date which had been followed up by two others that had gone very well.

Austin sighs and looks at his best friend/ love of his life texting her new boyfriend.

With every giggle she lets out, his heart breaks more and more.

She's now in a fit of laughter when Austin looks at her confused.

"What are you guys even talking about?"

She pulls away when he attempts to look at her phone screen.

"It's nothing," she says, breathing heavy, "Matt's just really funny."

Matt's just really funny.

Matt's just really smart.

Matt's just really cute.

It never ends.

And it almost kills Austin every freaking time!

But he just smiles and plays the 'supportive-I'm-so-happy-for-you-best-friend-role' that he's inclined to act like.

"So..." he playfully nudges her shoulder, "have you kissed him yet? Like a real kiss? One you were both expecting?"

Austin bites down on his tongue, but the words have already come out.

It's too late.

He's asked, she's heard.

Now he just has to wait for the response he wants to hear and doesn't want to hear all at the same time.

"I can't tell you. A lady never tells Austin," she answers, eyes not tearing away from the screen.

'So that's a yes,' Austin thinks trying hard not to be bitter about her kissing him.

A gesture she had given him willingly.

Not like one alcohol had made her think she wanted to do.

Or one the bastard had just walked up and forced on her.

See, totally not bitter.

"Come on, you're my best friend. You're obligated to tell me all this," Austin replies, prying it out of her.

Something two minutes ago he hadn't wanted to know the details of.

Yet the pain wasn't just pain, it was a strange mixture of pain and pleasure that drove him crazy.

Of coarse everything about her drove him crazy now a days.

"Plus, I know you've already squealed to my sister about it."

She flushes almost immediately. "Yeah, but she's my girl best friend, you're my guy best friend thats different."

"Really? Cause I remember you told me, in excruciating detail, about just how much a pain in the ass your "special time of the month" can be."

"Austin!" She screeches and then hits him with a nearby pillow. "You suck!"

He laughs and pins her down on the couch, her underneath him.

"I'm serious though, if you don't tell me," a mischievous grin sneaks its way on his face, "I'm gonna have to tickle you."

"No, no Austin! You wouldn't dare!"

He smirks, "I think we both know I would."

He then proceeds to tickle her sides, erupting boisterous giggling from the brunette.

"Okay... o-okay..."she says finally catching her breath, "I'll tell you."

Austin gets off of her to resettle into his original seat on the couch and lets her answer.

"Yes, I've kissed him, if you must know, and yes, it was good."

There goes that wave of pain/pleasure again.

"So, is he like your boyfriend now?"

"Um," she chuckles, "I don't know. We haven't really got to talk about it."

"Well, do you want him to be?"

Ally shrugs, "I'm not sure. I really like Matt and things have been going really well, but.."

But what?!

He must know what she's gonna say.

She's got him on the edge of his seat waiting for her answer.

"I'm not sure he wants to be my boyfriend."

Austin eases when he hears this.

It wasn't exactly what he he wanted to hear.

What he wanted to hear was something along the lines of 'I'm absolutely in love with you and know that he will never be anything compared to you because you are the most amazing guy I've ever met and I want no one else, but you.'

Or something like that.

Seriously?

What's with that bastard?

Not wanting to be Ally's boyfriend!

What kind of idiot is he?

"And I mean why would he?" She adds quietly.

Because you're smart.

And funny.

And pretty.

And talented.

And gorgeous.

And amazing.

And perfect in every way, shape, and form.

Why wouldn't he?

"Because he's stupid. That's the only logical reason as to why he wouldn't want to walk around and be able to say that Ally Dawson is his and his only."

Ally gapes at him and wraps him in a big hug.

She pulls away, still holding onto him, to look at his face.

He notes that they are really close.

"Austin, that's the sweetest thing ever," she whispers just enough so he can hear it.

He looks down at her. Taking in her appearance. Her captivating hazel eyes and smooth, light skin.

He wonders if he leans in just a little bit he can get away with kissing her.

Every part of him was kicking him in the butt for not taking the chance when she was drunk to just kiss her back like he had wanted to.

What harm would it have done really?

Now he was sitting in very close proximity to her, craving to know what it would be like to kiss her.

Really kiss her.

Yet another part of him knew he'd never be happy with a kiss that had happened under any other circumstances than her wanting to kiss him.

He thinks he can feel something between them in that moment, because neither one of them has said anything or even moved. He's very hopeful up until the moment she says something that hurts like hell.

"You're the best friend in the world."

Like freaking hell!

Ally's ringtone goes off and she jumps off the couch cheerfully.

"It's Matt! I'll be right back! I gotta take this!"

He falls back onto the couch with a sigh of defeat.

…

Ally's getting ready for her date when Austin walks in.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to barge in."

"It's fine," Ally's in front of the mirror, "I'm just doing my make-up."

Austin sits down on his sister's bed and watches as she gets ready for her date with he-who-shall-not-be-named.

He lets a small sigh escape his lips as he stands back while the girl he loves fall for someone else.

Maybe he should do something.

What would he do though?

Maybe he could just march up to her, turn her around, and catch her off guard in a kiss.

One full of passion and emotion.

One that tells her exactly how he feels.

Maybe she would kiss back and then pull away only to tell him everything he's ever wanted to hear from her.

Maybe he would tell her stay with him and she wouldn't object.

Maybe they would spend the whole night together and talk about 'them' and the possibility of there being a 'them'.

Maybe he could wrap his arms around her protectively and have her fall asleep in his embrace, this time as his girlfriend.

Then maybe he could officially call her his girlfriend.

Now, though, his heart was aching as she applies mascara with the biggest damn smile on her face.

He's frustrated because he knows this is how it's always gonna be.

She'll go on dates with guys and he'll be jealous as hell.

It'll be a never ending cycle for the rest of their lives.

She's not the kind of girl you just get over.

She steps back from the mirror and turns to Austin.

"How do I look?"

She's wearing a black blouse and dark denim jean short with pink converse high tops. Her hair is straight and her make-up simple.

She looks beautiful.

"You look great Als," he gets up and strides toward her, "as always."

"Thank you," she smiles up at him, not noticing just how close they are.

He breathes slowly and grabs her hand.

Taking a huge chance.

She notices this and looks down at their hands in confusion.

"A-austin," she whispers.

He smirks down at her and her nervousness.

"Just let me do this," he mumbles and she gets even more confused and flustered.

He brings her chin up so she's looking at him and before he can back out, he kisses her.

He's scared and unsure because for a while its just him with his lips pressed against hers and he dares not make another move.

She's not doing anything either.

This makes him nervous beyond belief.

Maybe he should stop, but he doesn't because he can't.

Because he doesn't want to.

He places his hands on her sides, not really sure of what he's doing.

Slowly but surely his hopes are confirmed.

Her arms wrap around his neck.

And she's kissing him back.

**A/N**

**Cliffy!**

**Alright, alright this chapter wasn't very good, and I know I promised last chapter that the next chapters would be better, but this was really all I had planned for this chapter.**

**It was shorter than I was hoping it would be. Next one will be longer and better (this time I mean it!) **

**But hey! They kissed! Yay! **

**Please don't hurt me.**

**Thank you to sissyrules13, jarlcarriers, 24-7 Hollywood Heights Lover, SillyTale, LoveShipper, 1, mono5709, SwiftStar1, and ReAdErSfEvEr for reviewing the last chapter. Please keep it up!**

**Kthanxbai!**


	6. Chapter 6

Hanging By A Thread

Chapter Six:

For a moment, everything is perfect.

The world is full of complete and utter bliss.

He's happier than he can ever remember being before.

Nothing can stop it.

Until the kiss is interrupted.

Ally pulls away with a look of hurt on her face.

"What the hell was that?!" She screams.

Austin can't make any sort of explanation before she's screaming at him again.

"You can't just do that Austin! You can't just kiss me right before I'm about to go out with another guy!"

"Don't act all innocent! You had just as much to do with this as I did!" He shouts back with newfound rage.

"You were the one who kiss-attacked me! You can't do that!"

"Really?" Austin asks, angrily, "Because your little boyfriend did the same exact thing and it turned out pretty damn well for him."

She gapes at him and opens her mouth ready to let him have it.

But she doesn't.

She closes her mouth and grabs her coat.

Austin doesn't let her leave.

He grabs her wrist when she tries to walk out of the room.

"Where are you going? Can't we talk about this?"

"I have a date to go on," she yanks away from his embrace and tries her hardest not to cry.

That kills Austin.

To see her want to cry and know he's the cause of it.

She walks downstairs and outside to wait for Matt.

He pulls up in the drive way and honks the horn.

She brings herself to smile and walks over to his car.

"Hey," he smiles brightly.

"Hi," she returns the gesture with a half-hearted wave.

"What's wrong?" He asks when she sits down in the passenger seat.

"Nothing." Ally turns away from him to look out the window.

"Don't give me that. I can't stand it when people say nothings wrong when clearly something is."

She sighs, "I just have a lot on my mind, but I'm not gonna let it ruin our night."

He nods and then drives off.

…

'Dez, I really need to talk. I'll be over in five minutes.'

Austin hits the send button and grabs his leather jacket before heading out on his trek.

He doesn't even wait for a reply because its Dez, and with Dez his phone is probably in a fish tank or tub of ice cream.

Or anywhere it shouldn't be.

Austin and Dez don't live five minutes away from each other. It's probably more like two.

But, It's pretty breezy for a July night in Miami and he wants to take his time.

So he walks slowly to his ginger friend's house.

Inside his house, it's absolute chaos.

Tiny shoes are lying a strewn over the entire living room.

Macaroni (and other various) art is hanging up on all the walls and there's a giant purple stain on the carpet.

"Hello Austin," Dez's mom says with a tired smile as she irons the wrinkles out of little boy clothes.

"Hi Sandy," he replies using her first name. They stopped being so formal years ago when she said being called 'Mrs. Peters' made her feel old.

He walks over and gives the foster mother a hug which she returns happily.

"I haven't seen you in a while," she states, "I thought you had forgotten about us."

"Never," Austin smiles down at the women.

He heads up stairs to Dez's room, where his friend is in a heap of blankets, scribbling on a piece of paper.

"Hey Dez!" Austin says.

His friend screams and jumps in the air.

"What are you doing here?" Dez asks with his hand clasped over his heart.

"I texted you about coming over."

"Oh yeah, my phones broken," Dez goes back to his usually quirky self, "last time I take my phone on a walk."

Austin only laughs. He's too used to Dez to find this weird.

"What are you doing?" Austin walks over to the bed and sees the wide-ruled paper and book titled 'The Complete Works Of Shakespeare'

"My English homework."

"Dude," Austin laughs, "it's the middle of summer."

"Yeah, I know this was due last year," he says as if its the most obvious thing in the world.

Austin takes the book and throws it across the room, along with the notebook.

"So you wanna play video games or something?"

"Nah," Austin sits in Dez's computer chair, "I need to talk."

"About what?" Dez says kind of surprised.

Even though he does tend to have his random flares of intelligence, no one ever goes out of their way to get advice from him.

"I did a stupid, stupid thing," Austin shakes his head and pinches the bridge of his nose.

"Ah, lucky for you I have almost eighteen years worth of experience in that area."

Austin chuckles because his friend always seems to be able to lighten the mood even if he doesn't mean to.

"Okay, here's the thing," he starts off slowly, failing miserably at putting sentences together. He's never been good at words.

He always had her for that.

"I may have kissed Ally... right before she was about to go on a date with some guy," Austin looks up from his black DC sneakers and notices the look of intense interest on the red head's face. "And by 'may have' I mean I totally did."

"Dude," his friend says quietly, then shouts, "that's awesome! I know you've been waiting to do that since, like, freshman year!"

"How did you know that?" Austin gapes. He hadn't confided in anyone about what he felt toward Ally, but instead kept it to himself.

Dez just smirks. "I'm not really as stupid as I lead you to believe I am."

Austin cringes, feeling the word 'stupid' is a little harsh.

"Yeah I say stupid shit that doesn't make any sense to you all, but on some level that actually makes me more intellectual than the rest of you because it makes perfect sense to me.

"I'm very observitive, I notice things about people that others are too oblivious to see. Trust me, I noticed the change you had toward Ally back in ninth grade."

Austin looks back down at his shoes sheepishly.

"Don't feel like a dumb ass, I'm just really good at reading people," he shrugs, "it's a ginger thing."

Austin huffs and then finally looks up at his friend. "So what do I do? Ally's really pissed at me and probably won't be speaking to me for awhile."

"What do you feel for her, like right now, if she were to walk up to you and say," he makes his voice high for the next part trying to mock the brunette, " 'Austin, tell me how you feel!' What would you say?"

Austin shrugs, and then gets up and paces around the room.

"I'd tell her that I think she's incredible and that I want to be with her so badly and that I'm not sorry about what I did, because it felt too right to feel guilty about.

"I'd tell her that's if she wants to be with me too, then we should get together and try to make it work, and if she doesn't that I'm still gonna be there for her because no matter what she's my best friend and I care about her."

"That's beautiful, man," Dez pats Austin's back.

"Uh, thanks," Austin says with a little laughter in his words.

"But that's not gonna be enough. This is Ally we are talking about, you're gonna have to do something huge in order for her to forgive you."

Austin nods, "you're right. I'm gonna make it up to her, I have no clue how, but it'll happen."

"That's the spirit!" Dez shouts. "Go get your special lady friend!"

Austin laughs enthusiastically at his friend's vocabulary. "Nice choice of words Dez."

Then the two sit down and kick some zombie ass on the xBox, because its Dez and Austin, and did you seriously expect them not to?

…

Austin and Ally don't speak much over the coarse of the next week.

It takes all of his self control not to go up to her, come clean, and explain just how sorry he is.

It kills him not have her friendship and the closeness that they use to have.

Emotionally and physically.

She's been sleeping in his sister's room recently.

But it's okay because soon enough he'll have her friendship back, and, if he plays his cards right, something more.

Ally is equally upset about the situation, but for a different reason.

Sure, she's upset that she and Austin haven't spoken much since it happened and that there close-knit relationship wasn't so close-knit right now.

But she's also upset because she has so many conflicting emotions going through her head.

She's always had mixed feelings when it came to the thought of her and Austin dating and they'd only grown more confusing over the years.

But she'd waved them off as nothing more than hopes and fantasies that would never become reality.

It wasn't till the other day when he had kissed her that those feelings were brought fully to her attention.

She could feel how much he wanted it, and she had given it right back to him.

So why'd she blow up like that?

Admitting to yourself you have romantic feelings for your best friend is not any easy thing to do.

Admitting those feelings to your best friend was even more of a not easy thing to do.

So she'd walked away from him, without even giving him a chance to explain, and made some hasty decisions soon following.

That's why her and Matt's statuses had both been changed to 'in a relationship'.

As much as she wanted to cheer and celebrate that her boyfriend list was now gaining another member ( the only other people she had on that list were Dallas and Elliot, neither of which she was ashamed to say she had dated, but would never date again) she couldn't help but feel sad about the whole thing.

So while Ally was depressed, Austin was crafty.

Seven days, five all nighters, and over twenty cans of Monster later, Austin was ready to put his plan into action.

And perfect timing too.

Trish saunters into the Moon's house with her hands raised in that 'guess what I just did today' manner of her's.

"Guess who's the best manager ever," she says giving the band a bright smile even though she's disgusted with 1/5 of the band, who will remain unnamed, right now.

*cough* It's Austin *cough*

"What's up Trish?" Aiden asks with genuine curiosity.

"I booked you guys to play at the park tomorrow. Apparently there's some big promotional festival going on and it's gonna be televised all over Florida."

"No way!" Aaron shouts excitedly and the rest voice their enthusiasm as well.

"We're gonna be on tv!" Avery squeals. "That's awesome!"

"Did you say tomorrow? That's not enough time. We haven't written any new material," Aiden pipes up bitterly.

"Yeah things have been kind of... dysfunctional around here lately," Alex glances at Ally, then to Austin.

He only smirks, "Actually, I've got a little something up my sleeve to perform."

His siblings, songwriter, and manager look at him in complete shock.

"Plus, we can always do our old stuff or do covers. Our fans love when we do that."

"Hold up dude," Aiden is still focused on his brother's previous statement, "you wrote a song."

Austin smiles proudly, but everyone else bursts into laughter.

"No way we are letting any of the fans hear that!" Avery manages to get out.

He still keeps the smile on his face, thinking to himself, 'We'll see about that.'

…

The concert goes well, as the Moon siblings always deliver a good performance.

Ally is in the front row, smiling and cheering them on (all of them) and Austin can't get the grin to leave his face.

It's almost the end of the show when Austin grabs the mic and gives the rest of the band an apologetic smile.

They have no idea what's going on or whether they should stop it or not, but all of them kinda want to see what's gonna happen so they sit back and watch.

Austin smiles to the crowd and begins to speak,"um, I know that I'm not very good at writing songs, so just bare with me when I say that I'm gonna perform an original song that I wrote."

Aside from a few mumbled comments that he can't hear, everything is silent.

"But before I sing, I wanna say something to one of my best friends, Ally," he looks for her in the crowd and her eyes grow wide in horror, "I know that you're mad at me, but I'm not sorry for what I did, and I'd tell you how I feel, but I'm not very good at speaking so let me just tell you how I feel with this."

Austin says something to the sound guy and then pre-recorded music fills the air.

_I played it safe_

_I kept my foot up on the brake_

_I never really took a chance in life_

_And didn't live for today_

_Oh, girl and then I met you_

_Open my eyes to something new_

_You know you set me free like no one else_

_And got me acting a fool_

_Don't you know you changed my life, girl _

_Cause now I'm living and it feels so right_

_Yeah_

Her nervous habit of hair chewing sets in as the cameras pan back and forth between her and Austin.

_You got my heartbeat pumping and its going insane_

_You got me jumping out of airplanes_

_And that's why_

_I'm crazy it's true _

_Crazy for you_

_You got me base jump living and I can't look down_

_You know you short-circuit my brain_

_I can't lie_

_I'm crazy it's true_

_Crazy for you_

By this time, Ally is hiding her face in her hands.

She's full on embarrassed.

While Austin couldn't be more into the performance.

_Midnight dipping in the pool_

_Or sneaking out up on the roof_

_You're unpredictable and girl that's what, that's what I love about you_

_Ooh, ooh, ooh_

_Don't you know you changed my life, girl_

_Cause now I'm living and it feels so right_

_Yeah_

_You got my heartbeat pumping and it's going insane_

_You got me jumping out of airplanes_

_And that's why_

_I'm crazy it's true _

_Crazy for you_

_You got me base jump living and I can't look down_

_You know you short-circuit my brain_

_I can't lie_

_I'm crazy it's true_

_Crazy for you_

Austin steps off the stage and walks toward Ally.

She's right in the front row and everyone backs away so the camera can get a good shot of the two.

He takes her hand in his and she looks anywhere but at him.

_I didn't loose my mind when I fell for you_

_Out of a parachute_

_And I'm gonna love you girl like you never knew_

_Woah_

_Don't you know you changed my life, girl_

_Cause now I'm living and it feels so right_

_Yeah_

_You got my heartbeat pumping and it's going insane_

_You got me jumping out of airplanes_

_And that's why_

_I'm crazy it's true_

_Crazy for you_

_You got me base jump living and I can't look down_

_You know you short-circuit my brain_

_I can't lie_

_I'm crazy it's true_

_Crazy for you_

The song ends and Austin gives a hopeful smile to the brunette.

"What are you doing?" She hisses through gritted teeth.

He laughs nervously, "showing you why you should be with me instead of that bastard."

She opens her mouth, but immediately shuts it.

"Ally, I really like you, actually I'm pretty sure I love you and I think you're awesome and fantastic and cool and beautiful and just all around amazing. I can't act like I don't feel this way anymore."

Ally sighs and looks down at her flats.

"If you don't feel the same way, you can just tell me and I won't bring it up again, but if you want to be with me please tell me cause, goddamnit, I wanna be with you."

Ally doesn't say anything. Her heart is pounding in her ears and she feels sick to her stomach.

"Ally, say something," Austin shifts nervously, "remember we're on... ya know, television."

She starts to breathe unevenly and her words are all bunched up in her throat, unable to escape.

"Austin...," she swallows thickly, "I... I can't... I just... can't," and with that she pushes past Austin and runs away.

Leaving behind a shoe and a broken hearted blond.

**A/N:**

**Done and done!**

**Oh my gosh! I feel so bad for Austin! And on national tv! After he wrote a song and everything!**

**I hope this made up for the bad chapter I wrote last time. I think it's longer, but it might just be cause of the song :p**

**Anyways thank you to Rainpath4, SwiftStar1, toritwilight504, rauraauslly, LoveShipper, and mono5709, and everyone who has favorited/followed and just supported this story!**

**Song used in this chapter: 'Crazy 4 U' by R5**

**Keep up the sweet reviews!**

**Kthanxbai!**


	7. Chapter 7

Hanging By A Thread

Chapter Seven:

The previous events swirled through Austin's head like contents in a blender.

Perfectly fine one minute, and pulverized the next.

All Austin remembers is that he's giving, what he considers, his best performance ever. He's on a massive adrenaline rush. Then all of a sudden he's drained of all excitement, contentment, enthusiasm, or any sort of happiness at all.

"What are you doing?" She asks and she still looks angry, which worries him because he's about to put himself out there even more.

If that's even possible.

"Showing you why you should be with me instead of that bastard," he doesn't even care that he cusses on TV.

He had to shed his squeaky clean, good boy image eventually.

"Ally, I really like you, actually I think I love you and I think you're awesome and fantastic and cool and beautiful and just all around amazing. I can't act like I don't feel this way anymore."

He pauses to give her time to speak, but all she does is sigh and avoid his gaze, so he continues.

"If you don't feel the same way, you can tell me and I won't bring it up again, but if you want to be with me please tell me cause, goddamnit, I wanna be with you."

Still nothing comes from the brunette.

He's getting impatient, so he prods her answer along.

"Ally, say something, remember we're on... ya know, television."

She looks like an absolute mess. Her eyes are filled with horror and, by this point, she has ragged breath.

"Austin... I...I can't... I just... can't."

Then she's gone.

The only thing left of her is her simple grey flat that fell of her foot in the process of running away.

Austin doesn't wait for anyone to say anything before he runs off in the direction he thinks she went.

He can't find her though, and after a good fifteen minutes of searching later, he sighs in defeat and sends her a text.

'Ally, where r u? Please tell me! I'm worried and we need to talk!'

He just stares hopelessly at his phone for the next ten minutes until he phone finally buzzes showing she sent a reply.

'U know where I am. Come find me and then we'll talk.'

He face palms, wondering why he didn't think of it sooner.

One time when they were eleven, before certain situations made them grow up, the duo had gone to the very same park.

Ally was fully enjoying herself, but Austin longed for something more.

The swings and slides bored him, but the dense green forest surrounding the playground really seemed to peak his interest.

He always was one for mischief and adventure.

Ally had protested, saying their moms would not approve of that idea.

She always was one for joy killing and rule following.

"Austin, we'll get in trouble," she whined.

"Which is exactly why," he grabbed her hand and pushed her in the direction of the woods, "we don't tell them."

She came to an abrupt stop.

"No, Austin! I'm not getting in trouble just because you want to be stupid and go into the woods."

"Please Ally," he said and gave her his best puppy dog look.

She rolled her eyes, "you know that look doesn't work on me."

He huffed. "Fine, how about in five years when were fifteen, I'll take you on a date and make all your little girlfriends feel envious."

Even at eleven he was such a flirt.

"Okay, first of all in five years, we'll be sixteen and second, nah, you're not my type," she stuck out her tongue at him.

"Whatever just go into the woods with me will ya?"

She gave a nervous glance back to their parents.

Their moms sat awkwardly in complete silence.

They never got along very well.

"Won't they notice we're gone?"

Austin shook his head, "we'll only be gone for a minute."

She sighed and gave in to his demands, "Okay."

They headed into the woods.

It was pretty built up with grass and weeds and the trees where very close together.

"It's kinda hard to navigate through here."

She immediately stopped.

Austin looked back, worried.

"What is it?"

"Austin, what if we get lost?" She asked with genuine fear.

"We won't. Take my hand and follow me."

She swallowed hard and took his offered hand.

"Thanks," she muttered softly.

They continued to walk in comfortable silence until Austin noticed something up in the trees.

"What's that?" He pointed.

"What's what?" She looked up in the direction of his pointed finger.

"That."

Up in the trees is a treehouse.

A small, simple treehouse that has been worn of age most likely.

Austin ran to the tree and began to climb.

"Austin! What are you doing! You're gonna fall and break your neck!" Ally reprimanded.

"No I won't. I'm a pro," he groaned in effort as he hoisted himself into a higher branch.

"The question is," he's now finally in the treehouse, "how are you gonna get up here?"

"I'm not! Now get down!"

"Come on, Als! Live a little!"

She huffed indignantly, "Austin, I'm in a skirt!"

"What?" He teased with a growing smirk on his face, "are you afraid the ground is gonna see you're purple panties?"

She flushed, either from embarrassment or anger or both.

"How'd you know I was wearing purple ones?"

"I didn't, but I do now," he winked and this made her redden even more.

"I should slap you!"

"You'll have to come and get me first," he challenged.

So she gave in, once again, and climbed the tree.

She actually does pretty good, and surprised herself and Austin alike, except for a slight slip at the top.

Austin grabbed her hand before she could fall.

"Wow, this is pretty cool," she looked around at the empty inside.

"Told you."

"I could come up here and read."

He gives her look like 'you have got to be kidding me', but she just brushed it off and awed at it some more.

It's the same treehouse he's looking at now.

He climbs it for the first time in six years and smiles at the memories that seem like forever ago.

Just as he expected, she's sitting there with faint mascara smudges on her face.

It makes him a little sad she didn't cry harder about him.

"You found me," she states in a small voice.

"Yeah," he sits down beside her, "can we talk now."

She sighs and rests her head in her palms.

"Austin."

He doesn't like the tone she uses to say his name.

"We have been best friend since the third grade, and you've always been there for me when I needed you the

most. You mean so much to me and..." she pauses to calm herself down and get her thoughts together. "I can't loose you, I can't loose your friendship, it's absolutely not an option."

"Why do we have to loose? The way I see it we can only gain from this," he tries to explain this to her.

"It's so easy for you to see the bright side in this. In everything really. And why wouldn't you? Your life is great. You have a great family who loves you and supports you. You have amazing friends and you're so talented and blessed. Your life is like the poster life of happiness."

She takes in another deep breath, "but I live in reality. One where fathers leave, mothers drink, and step-fathers try to rape you. I'm

hanging by a thread, Austin. Do you know how many times I almost died? Or thought about killing myself?"

"But you didn't and you don't have to worry about any of that anymore." He grabs her shoulders and makes her look at him. "You're with us now, we can keep you safe. Nothing's gonna happen to you."

She starts to cry, but he wipes away the tears.

"I can still be your best friend and your safety net and be your boyfriend at the same time. Ally," he whispers just barely, "let me be your everything."

She can't take it anymore. Its killing her.

She brings her lips onto his and instantly he kisses back.

It's passionate and meaningful and everything he hoped it would be.

'This is what it's like to kiss Ally Dawson,' he thinks, 'to kiss her and have her want it just as much as you do.'

His hands slide down to her waist and hers around his neck.

She lets her fingers run wild through his hair and it feels like fucking paradise.

He runs his tongue across her bottom lip, begging for entrance, which she happily complies to.

Her oxygen-deprived lungs go tight and she releases from the kiss and pants for air.

He rests his forehead on hers and pants as well.

"I love you," he says between heavy breaths.

"Can we maybe... hold off on saying that?" She asks and sees the disappointment etch its way on his face. "Just for now. Lets wait until everything is sorted out and we've taken certain people out of the picture."

"Oh, yeah," he says in realization, "you have a boyfriend."

'I just made out with someone's girlfriend,' he thinks and a guilty feeling begins to gnaw at his stomach.

"Yeah," she smirks, "I do have a boyfriend. Who I'm absolutely crazy about."

'Wait- what?'

She can see his confused and slightly hurt look, so she brings her face closer to him and brushes her lips over his. "And his name's Austin Moon."

He smiles, relieved, and kisses her again.

He quickly breaks away though, getting curious.

"Does this mean were dating? Like I can call you mine and make out with you and stuff? Or are we not gonna make out since you wanna take things slow?"

"I never said I wanted to take things slow," she laughs at his excitement. He's like a boy who just got a new toy he doesn't intend on sharing.

"Yeah you did."

"I just said that I wasn't ready to say 'I love you' yet. I never said I wanted to take things slow, I mean think about it, I live at your house, I sleep in your bed every night."

He nods, "that's true."

"I don't want things to go slow, but I don't want them to go too fast either," she tries to explain the best way she can, "I want things to go neutral."

He smiles, "I can live with that."

She smiles as well.

"But first things first, you need to break up with Justin Beiber."

"You mean Matt?" She laughs slightly.

"Whatever his name is. He had Justin Beiber hair."

"You're right. I'm gonna break up with him tomorrow."

"Cool," Austin comments, "can I kiss you now?"

"No, we need to get back to the park. You're parents are worried sick. Not just about me, but you too." She shows him her phone screen which shows she has 23 new messages. Some from his sister, some from his brothers, and some from Trish.

"Ugh! Their concern is cockblocking me," he groans.

She smiles and rolls her eyes. "Come on superstar."

They make their way back to the concert area, where Austin texted them to meet up at, hand in hand.

When they reach the others, they all share knowing glances before hugging the teens.

"What the hell where you thinking running away?!" Trish yells after she hugs Ally.

"I guess I wasn't," she laughs nervously and bites her lip. "I'm sorry guys. You probably think I just did that for attention."

"Nonsense!" Austin's mom yells and squishes the girl in a tight hug. "We are just glad you're okay."

She smiles at the women whose come to be a mother-figure for her.

Unlike the rest of the Moons, including her husband, Mrs. Moon has short, dark hair and light brown eyes.

Other than that she's exactly like her sons and daughter.

"I'm sorry, you guys,"Ally turns her attention to the band, "I kinda stole the show with me freak out. Literally."

Aiden waves it off, "Like mom said we are just happy you're okay."

And the rest of them agree.

"Yeah, and we're happy to see you two have... worked things out," Avery says trying her best not squeal.

Austin smiles down at Ally.

Ally plasters a bright smile on her face, but inside she's a nervous wreck.

…

"Ally, quit pacing. You're causing a draft!" Trish remarks, eyes not leaving her latest issue of Seventeen.

"I'm so nervous!" She shouts, "I'm meeting Matt in an hour to break up with him and I feel terrible."

Trish doesn't even get to say anything before Ally starts to rant.

"No matter what I do, someone gets hurt. This situations sucks. And poor Matt. Two days after I told him I'd be his girlfriend, I break up with him, and we haven't even spoken since that day.

"But I can't hurt Austin. Did you see his face after I ran away? I've never seen him so upset. It was like someone gave him a puppy and then kicked the crap out of it."

"Ally," Trish interrupted, "slow down. You really need to learn to breath between monologues."

Ally let out a deep breath she didn't know she was holding in. "Sorry, I'm doing that stupid 'talk when I'm nervous' thing again, aren't I?"

Trish nods and puts her magazine down.

"Are you sure it's really Austin you want to be with?"

"Why would you ask that?" She asks, thinking she cleverly avoided answering the question.

"Because you don't seem so sure you do, and also, you just avoided answering my question."

Ally groans, feeling more transparent than a piece of glass.

"I'm just saying," Trish suggests, "maybe you're only choosing Austin because you're afraid to hurt him."

Ally looks down at her bare feet and the purple carpet in Trish's room.

"I have to go, it's three ó clock," she sighs and thinks bitterly, 'perfect time to break a heart.'

…

By the time she's close to the café they're suppose to meet up at, it's raining.

Not just a drizzle or sprinkling, but full on downpour.

She's soaked.

'Weather to match the mood. Irony's a bitch.'

She can smell the sweet fragrance of coffee and banana bread, but she's too lost in thought to enjoy either one.

Trish's words keep playing over and over again in her mind.

Is that why she said 'yes' to him?

She didn't start thinking that until now.

But maybe Trish was right. So maybe she should turn around.

But maybe Trish was wrong. So maybe she should continue walking.

One things for sure. She has to get out of this rain.

Her sneakers were drenched and squish with every step she takes.

She smiles down at the pair of shoes and remembers the day she got them.

The last thing she expected to get on Christmas was a pair of plain white converse.

But that's exactly what she had received.

It wasn't until her blond best friend pulled a pack of felt markers from behind his back, that she fully understood the gift.

They had spent the whole rest of the day drawing on them until there was no room left.

Austin drew random doodles, while Ally wrote small bits of song lyrics on them.

He also labeled them 'left' and 'right' and put a yellow 'A' on the right one.

'Best Christmas present ever,' she thinks.

She walks into the building, letting the warmth embrace her presence.

The familiar brunette is sitting at a table in the back and gives a faltering smile he sees her.

"Hey," she sounds more depressed than she means to.

He sighs, "Okay, lets get this over with."

"Get what over with?" She asked, confused.

"I figured your intention of meeting here wasn't a good one. The look you have on your face is confirmation enough."

She swallows, "Did you watch the performance yesterday?"

"Didn't have to," he holds up a recent issue of Cheetah Beat, with the two of them (her and Austin) on the cover. It was of their kiss and she figures some reporters must have snuck back there with either her or him.

Ally lets out a frustrated groan. "Look Matt-"

"Save the explanation," he interrupts, "I'm not mad."

"Really?"

"Not as mad as I should be." He then shrugs and puts the magazine away, "Honestly, I saw it coming."

"Seriously? Like this whole time?"

"Not the whole time," Matt gives a sad smile, "I knew right away, when I picked you up for our first date that Austin wasn't just being the over protective best friend. Trust me, Ally, I'm a guy. I can sense when other guys hate my guts."

She offers a humorless laugh to this.

"Oddly enough, I realized you liked him back when I asked you to be my girlfriend and you said yes. It was that moment, the way you agreed to it, that I knew you would never really be mine. That your heart would always belong to someone else."

"Glad you realized it sooner than I did," she grumbles lowly.

"I'm gonna make this easier for you," he tells her and squeezes her hand reassuringly. "I'm gonna break up with you."

She feels like it isn't quite as warm as a certain someone else's.

She smiles and silently thanks him.

He smiles back and lets go of her hand.

Then they go their separate ways.

…

New Text To: Austin

It's really pouring down out there. Won't make it home, I'm just gonna stay at Trish's. See you tomorrow!

Ally hits send and gives a glance toward the window.

It's still raining and Autin's house is a pretty good walk from Trish's so she decides to just have a sleepover and avoid the unnecessary cold she'll receive from walking too much in the rain.

New Text From: Austin

U sure? I could come and get you.

She smiles at his willingness to stop whatever he's doing just to help her out.

Gosh, he's so wonderful.

But in a boyfriend way? Or only a best friend way?

Yes, she's still fighting in a mental game of tug-a-war with herself and so far, neither side is ready to budge.

New Text To: Austin

Nah, that's okay but thanks anyway. You're wonderful.

New Text From: Austin

And all yours :) Goodnight babe!

Of coarse he had to say something like that.

Damn his Austin Moon charm!

He was pretty smooth for a guy with the middle name of Monica.

"Still at war with yourself?" Trish says through a mouth full of caramel popcorn.

The girls had decided to watch Twilight Breaking Dawn part 2 since they hadn't got to see it when it was in theaters.

No, the stupid boys had made them watch some stupid horror movie.

Which Ally had hated every minute of.

"Yep, now give me some popcorn and lets watch two vampires have crazy hot sex for no apparent reason."

"Actually," Trish responds, popping in the DVD, "I don't think they have sex in this one."

"It's Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, of coarse they have sex."

Trish laughs and presses play.

Ally can't focus on the movie though, she's too distracted by her inner struggle.

Hurting Austin is definitely not something she wants to do, but wouldn't leading him on when he's not really who she wants count as hurting him too?

Then again, she's not completely surely isn't what she wants.

But she's not sure he is.

It's all so confusing and it makes her feel overwhelmed.

She decides to put it all aside and focus on the movie.

That task is easier said than done.

…

_I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones_

_Enough to make my systems blow_

_Welcome to the new age, to the new age_

_Welcome to the new age, to the new age_

_Woah, woah_

_I'm radioactive, radioactive_

Ally awakes at the sound of her ringtone.

Who the hell is calling her at one-thirty in the morning.

She's about to shut it off before she sees what the phone screen says.

Austin wants to FaceTime.

So, she hits the accept button and waits to be connected.

"Hello," Austin says once she can see him on her screen. He looks fully awake unlike herself.

"Hey," she replies and then lets out a yawn.

"You look tired," he laughs, then adds flirtatiously, "and gorgeous."

She blushes and silently decides that he doesn't look so bad himself.

His hair is tousled, more than usual, but he still looks good in his white tank top.

She notices he's wearing a small smile and that he isn't looking at her face.

She fixes her tank top so that it's not revealing anything anymore and gives him a pointed look.

"Busted," he says quietly and then laughs.

"Gosh, you are such a child."

"What? I could never do that when we were just friends," he points out to her, "besides you're my hot girlfriend, you should be honored to catch me staring at you."

She rolls her eyes and hears a loud snore come from the sleeping figure next to her.

"Are you in there with a grizzly bear?"

"Nope, just Trish," she turns the phone screen so he can see Trish, "but don't worry she's a really heavy sleeper."

"Why did you call me so late?" She asks and yawns yet again.

"I dunno, I was tired, besides I wanted to make sure you were okay, you never texted me back."

"Sorry, we were watching a movie, but seriously you shouldn't have been worried. I was with Trish."

He shrugs, "all I knew was you weren't with me, I had texted you, and you didn't text back. It was force of habit to make sure you were okay."

"I guess I can understand that," she yawns for her third time that night.

"Okay, babe, I'll let you get back to sleep. You seem tired."

"Thanks, I am."

"Night."

"Night."

"Wait!" She says in a mixture of both a whisper and a yell (not to be oxymoronic), "Austin, I think I might love you too."

"Really?" He asks as happiness washes over him.

"Really," she responds.

He gives her a serious smile, "that's good, cause I know I love you and it's killing me not to tell you that all the time."

"Goodnight, Austin."

"Goodnight, Als."

She snuggles deeper into the covers and lets her friend's snores lull her to sleep.

It may have taken a late night phone call to end her mental game of tug-a-war, but it was worth it.

She loves Austin.

Austin loves her.

And maybe it's too early in the relationship to feel that way.

But love has a different pace for every relationship, and maybe neutral just isn't there speed.

**A/N**

**And BAM! Auslly! **

**Hands down my favorite chapter so far what about you guys?**

**Thank you to Rainpath4 (woo! First mentioned again), ReAdErSfEvEr, .1, mono5709, LoveShipper, jarlcarriers, Elina-Ann, SwiftStar1, and the guests who reviewed. **

**Did you guys catch the Another Cinderella Story reference I put in there? (Love that movie) **

**Song used in this chapter: 'Radioactive' by Imagine Dragons (Ally's ringtone)**

**Well, that's all.**

**Review please!**

**Kthanxbai!**


	8. Chapter 8

Hanging By A Thread

Chapter Eight:

_All along it was a fever_

_A cold sweat hot-headed believer_

_I threw my hands in the air said, "show me something"_

_He said if, "you dare come a little closer"_

_Round and around and around and around we go_

_Now tell me now tell me now tell me now you know_

_Not really sure how to feel about it_

_Something in the way you move_

_Makes me feel like I can't live without you_

_And it takes me all the way_

_I want you to stay_

Ally stops short and sighs, frustrated. She's been having serious writers block lately and isn't happy about it. Never had it taken so long to write a song and yet this one sat untouched for over a month now.

"Sounds good," Austin pipes up behind her.

She whips her head around quickly to see him leaning against the doorway.

She didn't know he was standing there.

"Spying on me were you?" She asks, recovering from the scare he gave her.

"You are in my basement," he reasons and takes a seat next to her on the bench.

"That's not a good reason," she chides mockingly.

"New song?" He asks, ignoring her previous statement.

"One for myself," she answers simply.

"Sounds like it could be a duet," he says with the utmost hopefulness.

He always nagged her about overcoming her stage fright and finally getting the nerve to perform, something she always shot down very quickly.

She laughs, "keep dreaming, rockstar."

Looks like she was doing it today as well.

Ally gets up off the bench and walks downstairs. He follows closely behind.

They reach his room and Ally spots her phone on his bedside table. The screen is signaling she's received a voicemail.

She listens to it and instantly recognizes the voice, but almost doesn't believe who it is.

"Austin, listen to this," she puts the phone on speaker and plays the voicemail.

"Ally, honey, it's me. I hope I got the right number. I just wanted to let you know that I'm coming back to Miami and I'd really like to see you. I understand if you don't want to see me. Just give me a call, please. I love you."

Two moments of silence pass between them while they both just stare blankly at the phone, because they aren't really sure of what else to do.

"That's your dad," Austin says quietly.

Ally swallows hard.

"Yeah, it is."

…

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

It's a mental debate between wether she should see him or not even bother to return his phone call.

After all he is her father.

The one that left her and let everything go to hell.

But she's trying not to focus on the negatives, being the optimist she is.

He sounded pretty sincere on the phone.

Thinking back to years ago, many, many years ago, she remembers that he always was a man of his word.

It's not like he'd ever made any promises not to leave them, it was just kind of implied.

But she understands why he left.

Even when he was still there her mother wasn't the most pleasant of people.

Nothing like she was now a days.

She remembers the yelling that took place.

The screaming.

The shouting.

The late night drives they both took before one of them said something completely over the line.

Ally was young, but she could tell their marriage was not one of happiness.

She remembers the night before he left very clearly.

Like crystal.

But she spares herself the thoughts, because they are just too painful.

Still, just because she understands doesn't mean it was right of him to do those things.

After he left everything was a mess.

Her mom started to drink.

A lot.

Then one night, she brings a strange man home with her and declares that they are gonna get married.

One look at the man, and the lust in the eyes when he saw her, and she knows she'll have to fight for her life.

From then on, everyday is a struggle.

But Austin has always been there.

Her guardian angel.

Her gift from God.

So, of coarse, she asks him what she should do.

He sighs and sits down, letting her sit in his lap like a small child.

"I'm not sure this is really something I should have any say in."

"Yes, you should," she tells him, "because I gave you the right to have say in this."

He sighs, once again.

"You know me, Ally, probably better than anyone, so you'll understand it when I say that family is one of the most important things in your life.

"I can't imagine having this kind of relationship with either of my parents, I don't want to, but if I did and then one day they called me and told me they wanted to try and make things better I'd take that chance."

"So you're saying I should go see him?"

"No," he shakes his head, "I'm telling you that's what I would do. You aren't me though and I can't tell you what to do and take responsibility for how this turns out."

Now it's her turn to sigh. "When did you become so wise?"

He laughs, "I've been spending too much time with you."

He flips her over so that she's underneath him. "So what are you gonna do?"

"I don't know what I'm gonna do about my dad, but I know what I'd like to do right now," she giggles.

"Why don't we focus on the problem at hand?"

"You're the one that put us in this position!" She squeals.

"I gotta have a little fun," he smirks.

"So do I," she says and raises her lips to his.

He immediately kisses back as she wraps her arms around his neck.

His hands brush over her sides and she sighs contently.

"Austin Moon, you are the perfect distraction."

…

"You want me to go with you?" Austin asks as he watches his girlfriend get ready to see her father for the first time in nearly five years.

She bites her lip. "Yes, but no."

He gives her a confused expression, showing he needs more explanation.

"I want you there because I could really use your support, but I don't want you there because I want to know I'm strong enough to handle this on my own."

He nods and smiles affectionately before kissing her quickly.

"Call me if you need anything."

"Okay." She smiles and walks out of the room, only to walk right back in again.

"Hey Austin?"

"Yeah?"

"I need a ride there," she grins sheepishly.

He smiles and goes to get his keys.

…

They sit in an uncomfortable silence for what seems to be the longest time.

He looks as though he's contemplating what he wants to say in his head.

She on the other hand, stirs her coffee with an unsure expression written all over her face.

"I gotta say, I was surprised when you agreed to meet me," her dad finally speaks. Something about his voice and the way he's fumbling around with his watch leads her to believe he's very nervous.

But she doesn't mind that. It makes the whole thing seem more human.

"I was surprised you called and asked me to meet you," she returns with a small smile.

"I figured you would be hurt and angry and want nothing to do with me," he replies solemnly.

"I was, am actually, but you were trying to reach out to me and I figured I should try too. It's better to make amends than burn bridges," she flushes not wanting that to sound as poetic as it did.

"Well I'm glad you did," he takes a drink of his coffee.

She smiles and nods.

"So, how are you?" He asks nicely.

"Good. I'm living with Austin now and we're dating and I'm really happy."

"That's good," he smiles sincerely.

"Which part?" She asks with genuine curiosity.

"The whole thing," he answers, "I always did like Austin."

"How's your mom?" He asks hesitantly.

"Good, I assume. She's in rehab."

Her father's smile falters a bit. "That's good for her. Finally getting the help she needs."

"Did you know? About her drinking and getting remarried?"

He nods, "A year or two ago, I was in town, I stopped by the house and asked to see you, but she refused. Then a couple days ago she gave me your number and told me to give you a call. I was really surprised and didn't know if she had given me the right number or not."

Those words shock Ally to her core.

Maybe rehab really had changed her for the better.

Silence falls upon the two for awhile.

Ally smiles, "So what's going on in your life? What exciting changes has New York brought to you?"

"Well, uh actually..." He starts getting nervous again, "Ally, ... I'm getting married."

"Really?" She asks slowly, unsure of what else to say.

"Really."

She doesn't know where to go from here, because she's not sure how she feels about it. If she's angry or delighted or what.

Then, for the first time, she sees her dad has a happy look on his face, one cleared completely of any sort of nervousness.

She takes in a deep breathe, deciding she's happy for him. "Dad, that's great."

He lets out a relieved sigh. "Oh, that's fantastic. I was so afraid you were gonna hate me."

She shakes her head. "So, who is this lucky lady and when do I get to meet her?"

"Her names Penny. She and her son are planning on flying in in a few days. She's very anxious to meet you."

"Are you guys planning on having the wedding here or there or what?"

"We've decided we're gonna have the wedding here and stay in the area."

Ally beams with pure joy. "That's awesome."

"I know I've already said this before," he pauses and rubs his hands together nervously, "but I really am glad you showed up today. You have no idea how much I missed you."

"I think I have some idea," she replies, getting that feeling you get right before you start to cry.

"Leaving wasn't my biggest mistake," he says, "it was not taking you with me that I regret the most, but seeing you here now, it makes me feel like maybe this was were you belonged the whole time."

She can't help but smile widely when he says this.

After a drink or two more of coffee later, Ally's dad drives her back home.

She doesn't get out of the car immediately, but instead turns to her father.

"Do you want to come inside?"

He's take a back by this question.

"Do you want me to come inside?"

"That's kind of why I asked," she smiles brightly.

They both get out of the car and walk up to the door.

Alex answers it and gives the brunette a playful smile.

"Alex, open the door would you?"she says tiredly.

"What's the magic word?" He teases.

"The magic word is 'open the door now before I kick you somewhere you really don't want to be kicked."

"Exactly right!" Alex says and opens the door for her.

All the Moons are sitting in the living room.

They give questioning glances when they see Mr. Dawson standing next to her.

"Guys," she gestures to he father, "this is my dad."

They all wave or make some sort of 'hello'.

"Dad," she turns to him and gestures to the Moons, "this is my family."

…

Ally notices her dad staring expectantly out the window.

"A watched pot never boils," she chirps cheerfully.

He spins around and gives her a nervous smile, before returning to the window

She smoothes out her simple red dress and steps back into the kitchen where Mrs. Moon is cooking dinner.

It smells amazing in there as fragrances of different food mix together to create one amazing scent.

"Is he still watching for her anxiously?" Mr. Moon chuckles.

She nods and peeks back into the living room.

"I've never seen him like this before," she muses.

"Yeah, he's like a lovesick teenager," Aaron says and gives a teasing glance to his younger brother.

"Make your jokes," Austin goes and hugs Ally from behind, "after all, I am the only one here with a girlfriend."

"That's not true. Mr. D has one he seems pretty giddy about," Alex jerks his thumb back toward the living room.

"Actually, she's his fiancé, not girlfriend," Ally answers.

"Ally," Mrs. Moon looks up at the girl after hearing those words, "you didn't tell us they were getting married."

Ally smiles shyly. "Sorry, must've slipped my mind."

"How do you feel about that?" Avery asks.

"About my dad getting ra married? Uh, happy... I guess," Ally replies, confused.

"Are you sure? If it was me, I wouldn't be very happy about my dad coming back just to tell me he was getting re married," Aiden says.

Ally opens her mouth to speak, but the doorbell interrupts her words.

She rushes into the living room to find her dad hugging a light haired brunette.

By her side is a young boy (her son) with shaggy, dark hair. He looks to be about twelve maybe.

"Penny, this is my daughter Ally and her boyfriend, Austin and his family."

Penny gives everyone a sincerely friendly smile.

"Ally, guys, this is my fiancé, Penny, and her son, Jasper."

"Hello, guys. Honey," she kneels down to Jasper's height, "say 'hello' to the Moons."

Jasper looks up at all of them with bug brown eyes and mumbles something along the lines of 'nice to meet you.'

After dinner, which she thinks goes pretty well, everyone goes in various directions among the house.

Jasper, who had taken a liking to Austin, follows him upstairs to his room with the promise of playing video games just the two of them.

She doesn't realize how dark it's getting.

The Floridan sky has darkened drastically and another day is slipping away like contents of an hourglass.

Ally walks up the stairs, down the hall and into her boyfriends bedroom where he and Jasper are indeed playing video games.

She smiles at the two of them, clearly getting along, and silently hopes she'll have as good a relationship with her future step-brother.

She's gonna have a step-brother.

And a step-mother.

Well, that's a lot to take in for one night.

Granted, things had been going pretty fast recently.

It was like someone hit the fast forward button on a movie and wasn't letting go.

It wasn't only just three weeks ago when she moved in with the Moons.

Only a few days since she started dating Austin and told him she loved him.

Only a day since her father had come back to town.

Only a mere two hours since she'd met people who would soon enough be part of her family.

But oddly enough, she was okay with how fast everything was going.

The only problem she had was that things that go too fast end up crashing and when everything seems like it's all good is when you need to start worrying the most.

She shakes those thoughts out of her head and notices the tired expression on Jasper's face.

"Should I room with your sister tonight?" Ally asks quietly from the doorframe.

He chuckles and looks over at the kid on the other side of the bed.

"It might be for the best."

She nods and walks over to give him a quick kiss. "Goodnight Austin."

"Goodnight Als," he replies and yawns.

She takes that as a cue to leave, but hears something that makes her heart melt just a little.

"Goodnight sissy," a tired ten-year old pipes up.

She gasps and feels like she's gonna cry.

"Goodnight Jasper. Don't you boys stay up too late," she replies and turns off the lights.

Avery's room is dark and she's not sure if the blond is asleep or not.

"Ave?" She whispers so quietly she almost doesn't hear it herself.

"Yeah, Als?" Avery answers groggily.

"I'm bunking with you tonight."

She takes of her heels, but is far too tired to change into pajamas so she just keeps her dress on.

She slips under the covers and lays on her back.

She is having so many thoughts, but knows that thoughts will only keep her from sleeping.

So, she pushes those in the back of her mind to save for tomorrow and lets herself fall into unconsciousness.

**A/N**

**Alright! I'm back! **

**Bet some of you thought I was gone, but that's not the case :) **

**Sorry the chapter took so long, but I wrote and rewrote it like five times before I managed to get it where I wanted it. Actually it still isn't exactly how I wanted it to be, but I was getting frustrated so yeah.**

**Se la vie **

**Thank you to ReAdErSfEvEr, toritwilight504, mono5709, Rainpath4, SwiftStar1, jarlcarriers, and the guests who reviewed.**

**Guys, if you could, please check out my new story 'Alphas and Omegas' it would mean a lot if you did.**

**Song used in this chapter: Stay by Rihanna **

**Ok I think that's all.**

**Kthanxbai!**


	9. Chapter 9

Hanging By A Thread

Chapter Nine:

There is nothing worse to a writer, of any kind, than a blank page and that feeling you get when you have absolutely no idea what to put on said page.

Ally looks down at her songbook sadly. The white paper stares back at her mockingly while Austin plays that same tune over and over again on the piano.

He's a broken record.

He has been for an hour or so now and it doesn't look like its gonna let up anytime soon without any outside help.

"Austin!" She snaps as his brown eyes meet hers.

He quickly stops playing, getting the hint.

She's pissed about something and he decides it best not to be a nuisance.

"Thank you," she says but doesn't sound the least but appreciative.

"Maybe I should just leave," Austin rises off the bench.

She refuses though. "No, we need to get some songwriting done. We only have a month left before your album is suppose to be released and you guys are short on songs."

He sighs and sits back down. This time, on the couch, next to his songwriter.

"Ally we've been trying this for two hours now. Face it, you're-"

"No!" She interjects. "Don't say it, because as soon as you say it, it becomes true."

"Ally, you're in a slump."

She groans, not willing herself to give into her denial just yet.

"Yes, the great Ally Dawson has caught a case of writer's block," his words are distasteful to her ears.

She hides her face in her hands, digging in the farthest recesses of her brain for any sort of inspiration, yet none arises.

She's about ready to raise the white flag, when he pipes up again.

"But, I think I have a solution to this whole thing," she grows skeptical at his words already thinking she knows where this road is going.

"Why don't I just take one of those lovely songs you wrote for yourself, record you singing it, and put it on the album," he asks as if it's the most genius plan he's ever formulated.

She howls with laughter. "What are you on crack?"

"No," he gives a confused glance, "are you?"

She composes herself with a sober look on her face.

"There is no way in hell that is happening," she deadpans.

"Why don't you just write the rest of the songs?! Seeing as how you're such a great songwriter now?!" She sounds even more irritated than before.

He rolls his eyes, in no mood to have this argument.

"I was just throwing around suggestions. There's no need for you to start bitching about it, and seriously? I suck ass at writing songs. The only reason I could write that one was because of you and even then it took me a week to write."

"Okay, calm down," she says referring to both of them.

He leans back into the couch with a deep breath.

"Clearly, this isn't gonna work," she states bitterly.

Those are words that make his heart drop.

Suddenly, he's not anger anymore. His aggravation has been replaced by a new feeling of panic and feels the same way he did when she ran away from the concert.

"You are not doing this to me. I've worked my ass off to get you to be mine and I'm not letting you throw it all away because we're both bitching out on each other and saying shit we don't mean," he says hastily rushing through his words.

She sits back in disbelief.

Did he really think that what she meant?

Did he really think she'd give up that easily?

"Hey, hey, calm down," he rubs his arm reassuringly.

He finally stops talking and now it's just the two of them looking at each other, not daring avert their attention for fear the other will vanish.

She scoots herself closer to him until her face is centimeters away from his. "That wasn't what I meant when I said that. I was referring to us screaming at each other."

She feels like he can finally breathe again. The tightness in his chest is gone.

She laughs, seeing the change in his demeanor, and rests her forehead on his.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" She asks and he raises his eyebrows in confusion, "are you gonna try and "persuade" me into putting my song on the album or what?"

"Did I ever tell you that I love you," he says with laughter and then adds as afterthought, "and also that you're really hot."

She smiles and places her lips on his.

It doesn't take long after that for the kiss to become heated.

He pushes her down gently and rests himself on top of her, then lets his hands roam her smooth, porcelain skin.

Her fingers run playfully through his platinum blond locks and he deepens the kiss, demanding rather than begging for entrance.

She complies with his wishes, making them both happy.

He pulls away and kisses her jaw, down her neck, her collarbone, and even a little lower than that.

He smirks when this action elicits a moan from the petite brunette.

She connects their mouths and kisses him feverishly once again.

This goes on for another minute or so before she pulls away at a loss for air.

"So, how was that for persuasion?" He asks cockily.

She rolls her eyes and goes back to her previous sitting position on the couch.

"In all seriousness, though," he places himself next to her, "I really think you should be on the album."

She sighs and looks down at her hands folded neatly in her lap. "Austin, you know I can't."

"I don't understand. What's the point of writing all those songs for yourself if you're never gonna let anyone else hear them?"

"I do let other people hear them," she defends, "I let you hear them."

"You know that's not what I meant."

"I don't want to have stage fright, I just do, okay? And I don't know why I have it. I can't explain it. Fear has no definition. It's just there."

"Okay," he says slowly, "then how about this? We record you and put you on the album, without telling people who you are. Then, when we get a bunch of positive feedback -which we will- then we tell people it was you."

She scoffs. "You think that just because random strangers tell me I did a good job, then I'll be ready to perform?"

"That's the beauty of not telling people it's you. We don't have to reveal its you until you're ready."

She's silent for awhile, thinking it over and taking it all in.

On one hand, the idea intrigues her.

Performing.

On an album.

That's gonna be heard.

By people.

It both excites and frightens her at the same time.

He can tell she's taking his idea seriously.

Her face is scrunched up in deep thought.

"So," she turns to him, completely serious, "what song would I sing?"

**A/N**

**Just a quick filler chapter because I was kind of having writer's block myself. I figured if I put a little make-out portion in there you guys wouldn't hate it too bad.**

**I recently read the story and realized it took a completely different path from where it started.**

**But, that's okay.**

**Soon enough we'll have ourselves a returning character that I'm sure none of you like very well.**

**He he I'm so evil! **

**What to expect next time; first dates, wedding planning, and JASPER (because every story needs a cute little kid) and I promise next chapter will be longer I just don't know when exactly it'll be updated.**

**Any who, if you could put some suggestions for Ally's song to sing on the album in your reviews that would be lovely and very helpful.**

**Also, I get the feeling not many people reads author's notes, but if you are one of the few that actually do type BANANAS cause I'm curious.**

**Am I the only one that got that? **

**Wow, my geek is showing. ;P**

**As always, thank you to .1, ReAdErSfEvEr, toritwilight504, and jarlcarriers for taking time to review my less than stellar writing.**

**Okay I think I've babbled on quite enough (sorry I was feeling chatty today) **

**Kthanxbai! **


	10. Chapter 10

Hanging By A Thread

Chapter Ten:

Ally clutches onto the guitar like it's a parachute and she's about to jump from an airplane.

She guesses that scenario could be used to mirror this one.

Although this is less of a life-or-death situation, but it still gives her the effects that she figures jumping out of an airplane would give a person.

Sweaty palms.

Shaky breath.

Tenseness.

Yeah, it's all there.

Austin glances up from the soundboard and shoots her a reassuring smile.

It seems to melt away some of the tension, not nearly enough of it though.

"You ready for this?" He asks with a raised eyebrow and an unsure smile.

She takes in a breathe and tries to calm her rigid heartbeat.

Why is this so hard?

She remembers back in third grade when her and Austin were the stars of music class.

The dynamic duo always seemed to knock them dead.

She's not really sure when she became so shy and insecure.

Maybe that was just part of growing up. You lost all confidence in yourself.

Or maybe it was the fact that her dad had left her and that made her feel like she wasn't worth anything.

She could pin a lot of her current day problems on that one event, but the excuse seems to be worn out, especially now that he's come back.

"Austin," she says in a voice that's barely a whisper, "I don't think I can do this."

He pulls a stool up next to Ally and places himself on it.

"I know you can. It'll be just like third grade."

She finally pulls her gaze away from the floor and looks into his eyes.

"This is definitely not like third grade. Everything's different now," Ally's grip on the guitar loosens sub-consciously as she falls into that relaxed state that only talking to Austin can put her in.

"Granted, we aren't kids anymore -even though I still act like one sometimes- but not that much has changed. I'm still here."

He takes her hand and squeezes it reassuringly.

_"Girl, put your records on_

_Tell me your favorite song,"_

_An eight-year Ally looks up from her reading material to see the familiar redhead from down the street._

_He's holding up a digital camera that's pointed at a slightly shorter blond boy._

_"You go ahead_

_Let your hair down_

_Sapphire and faded jeans_

_I hope you get your dreams_

_Just go ahead_

_Let your hair down"_

_His voice carries melodically through the Miami suburb._

_She finds herself fixated on it. Like a snake to a snake charmer._

_Austin stops mid-note when he spots a girl of his age watching him._

_He waves enthusiastically and she quickly blushes at being caught staring at him._

_Ally hides behind the pages of her paperback copy of 'The Fellowship of the Ring', but to her dismay, she hears padded footsteps on the concrete floor of her porch._

_"Ah, I see we have an audience member," Dez says, still recording._

_"Oh, hey Ally," he greets after realizing it was her._

_She sets the book down in her lap._

_"Er.. hi Dez," she rubs her arm uncomfortably. "What are you guys doing?"_

_"This is Austin," Dez jerks his thumb in Austin's direction, "he's gonna be an overnight Internet sensation and I'm gonna be his video director. We're filming a music video right now."_

_Ally quirks an eyebrow at his explanation and goes back to reading. "Okay, well you two have fun with that."_

_Dez nods and turns on his heels to walk down the stairs._

_"Come on Austin," he hollers over his shoulder, but Austin acts as if he can't hear him._

_Ally tries really hard to focus on her story, but she finds herself reading the same sentence countless amounts of time._

_Austin clears his throat and Ally looks up slowly, giving him her attention._

_"Hi, I'm Austin," he tells her._

_"So I've heard," she replies wishing that hadn't sounded as rude as it did, "I'm Ally."_

_"You wanna come hang out with us?" He offers because honestly (and he doesn't know why) he finds himself not wanting to leave this girl._

_"Uh, that's okay," she says sweetly, " I don't think Dez likes me very much."_

_Austin laughs. "That's okay."_

_"Thanks for the offer."_

_He nods and turns around, but stops and turns back toward her as something crosses his mind._

_"If it helps, I like you."_

_She smiles, kind of shocked. "T-thanks. I, uh, like you too."_

_"Maybe we can hang out sometime," he says._

_"Yeah," she nods, "maybe."_

Thus began a beautiful friendship between the two.

He was Austin.

She was Ally.

They were Austin and Ally.

And, at the end of the day, that's all she really needed to know.

"You ready?" He asks again and slips away to the soundboard.

She smiles, letting go of all her doubts and getting ready to jump into the unknown.

"Let's do this thing."

…

_This time for real _

_Tired of playing it safe_

_Inside I feel_

_I've got what it takes_

_To prove, show the world _

_Who I really can be_

_I know for sure_

_There's no stopping me_

_No time to wait on the sides _

_Watching it all pass me by_

_I'm gonna be in the game_

_Watch me play it_

_I'm coming with ya know_

_Lets get to starting the show_

_Turn up the lights, hit the stage_

_No more waiting_

_It's my turn now and ya know that I'm ready_

_It's my turn now, said I'm strong and I'm steady_

_Break down the walls, gonna go for it all_

_It's my time, gonna shine _

_Show you how_

_Because its my turn now_

Ally chews on the inside of her cheek nervously as the Moons listen to the track of her singing.

They all wear expressionless looks on their faces and it's killing her, but she knows they'll all hold their poker faces until the song is over.

_I'm in my groove_

_Now I'm having some fun_

_I know what to do_

_And how to get it done_

_Do my thing, double time_

_And there's no holding back_

_Make it good, make it right_

_Hear the crowd react_

_No time to wait on the sides _

_Watching it all pass me by_

_I'm gonna be in the game_

_Watch me play it_

_I'm coming with it ya know_

_Lets get to starting the show_

_Turn up the lights, hit the stage_

_No more waiting_

_It's my turn now and ya know that I'm ready_

_It's my turn now, said I'm strong and I'm steady_

_Break down the walls, gonna go for it all_

_It's my time, gonna shine_

_Show you how_

_Because its my turn now_

_It's my turn now _

_In my heart I'm believing_

_And I can see how _

_I can live what I'm dreaming_

_I understand _

_Now I know who I am_

_Here's my chance, gonna dance_

_Play it loud_

_Because its my turn now_

_One, two_

_Now we'll do_

_Just what I've always wanted to_

_Three, four _

_Do some more_

_Everything you ever wanted and been waiting for._

_It's my turn now and ya know that I'm ready_

_It's my turn now, said I'm strong and I'm steady_

_Break down the walls, gonna go for it all_

_It's my time, gonna shine_

_Show you how_

_Because its my turn now_

_It's my turn now _

_In my heart I'm believing_

_And I can see how _

_I can live what I'm dreaming_

_I understand _

_Now I know who I am_

_Here's my chance, gonna dance_

_Play it loud_

_Because its my turn now_

Ally's heart pounds in her ears as she waits for the reaction.

They all turn their attention to her and before she can say anything, they tackle her in a group hug.

"That was amazing!"

"You rocked it!"

"You're singing was phenomenal!"

She laughs at the showering of compliments.

"You guys really liked it?" She asks and bites her lips nervously.

"Are you kidding? You were kick-ass!" Alex yells enthusiastically.

"I can't wait for Jimmy to hear this!" Austin tells her.

"Calm down guys," she says. "We still have a few more songs to write before this album can be released."

They all sigh, as they had been caught up in the excitement of the moment.

"Well, then," Austin replies with a shining smile, "lets get a move on. Those songs aren't gonna write themselves."

This sends all the kids upstairs to tackle the last remaining additions to the album.

…

{Skip ahead a month}

Austin drives his Mercedes down the highway in the direction of the recording studio.

Today's the day that Jimmy hears the final list of songs and either declines or approves. Hopefully the latter.

Austin taps his fingers against the steering wheel feeling mildly anxious.

When he sees his exit, he takes it and soon enough he's at the large black gate in front of Starr Records.

He pushes in the correct pass code and drives in once the gates allow him entrance.

Inside, it's nice and cool. A perfect temperature to match the hot and humid Miami weather outside.

The office lady (he thinks maybe her name is Angela) lets him proceed without any sort of protest.

She's become recently affiliated with all the Moons. Their blond hair and tall statures are quite unmistakeable.

Austin knocks cautiously on the door to Jimmy's office.

"Come in," he hears Jimmy say from behind the mahogany door.

He steps inside and lays the demo on Jimmy's desk.

"There it is, in all it's glory," Austin says.

Jimmy chuckles. "Alright. If you wouldn't mind staying back while I listen to the songs. I'm fairly certain I'll approve of them all. Your songwriter has quite a knack for this kind of stuff."

"Not a problem. And yep, she's the best," Austin nods and takes a seat in one of the chairs.

Group Message To: Ally & 6 others

Just gave Jimmy the demo. Waiting for approval.

He sends the text to his band, songwriter, manager, and director and they all send back replies that say about the same things.

After close to twenty minutes of listening, Jimmy gets a confused look on his face.

He takes the headphones off and turns his attention to the blond.

"Austin, this last song, who is that singing? Is that your sister?"

"Uh, no," Austin says and cautiously stands up. "Actually, it's Ally."

"Your songwriter?"

He nods.

"What is she doing on your demo?"

Austin sighs and runs his fingers through his hair.

"It's kind of a long story..." Austin trails off.

"Explain."

"Okay, well Ally was tired of having stage fright, so I told her that if we put her on the album without people knowing it was her she would see all the great things people have to say about her and then she'd be able to break free of her fear.

"I know I should have said something to you first, but I was afraid you would say 'no'."

Jimmy sighs. "You're right. I probably would have."

Austin cringes, not wanting to hear what he had feared he might.

"You want me to just put her on here with no explanation as to who she is or what she's doing on the album?"

"Can't you just put her in as a bonus track or something?" He suggests.

The older man doesn't speak for awhile, he's too busy thinking all this through.

"She was really good," he concludes after a long while of thinking.

Austin can only nod at this statement.

"I will put her on the album-"

"Jimmy! That's great! Thank you!"

"But," he yells, cutting off Austin's words, "I will not sign her to my record label. After she reveals it was her, she's gonna have to find her own means of support. You can't have her piggybacking off of your success."

"She's not piggybacking," Austin mutters lowly.

"Austin, I understand you and her are an item now."

Austin shoots him a look like he wonders how he knew that.

"What? You think I don't keep tabs on all my clients?" He answers with a question of his own.

"So, what I'm hearing is your putting her on the album?" Austin asks just to clarify.

"Yeah, I'm putting her on the album."

"Yes!" Austin shouts. "This is so awesome! Thank you so much!"

And with that, Austin races out of the room to share the good news with everyone else.

Jimmy shakes his head and puts the demo back in the case.

"Well, this should be interesting."

…

Kira Starr never did anything out of spite.

And if she did, it was something only semi- harmful.

Like taking her dad's credit card and buying a five hundred dollar dress.

Because lets face it.

You can't walk down the red carpet in just anything.

In all honesty, she was a sweet girl.

But even the most perfect of angels get jealous once in awhile.

And that's what she felt when she saw an issue of Cheetah Beat talking about the latest relationship between Austin and Ally.

The same Austin who happened to be her ex-boyfriend mind you.

Who broke up with her for no apparent reason, other than the half-assed excuse that they just weren't right for each other.

She had thought very damn well they'd been more than right for each other.

This was a boy she'd dated for four months.

The longest relationship she'd ever had.

This was a boy she'd had real feelings for. Only to be crushed to find out they had not been returned.

This was a boy she'd let get the farthest along with when it came to the physical side of their relationship. Second base, and even dangerously close to third.

And maybe in the midst of her "getting over him" stage (a stage that was still in progress) she'd thought there had been another reason that he'd broken her heart.

Maybe her dad had told him not to date her. That seemed like a logical explanation. Her dad was very protective of his only daughter.

Or maybe it was the actual reason.

He was in love with someone else.

Someone short, with ombré hair who shared the same first initial as him.

Now, she had confirmation that he was over her (and probably not even all that into her when they were dating) and she knew their was nothing she could do to tear them apart.

Even if she could, what pleasure would that bring her?

She knew Austin well enough to know he wouldn't go crawling back to her.

But, there was one thing she could do.

It was obvious that 'the girl with the golden voice', as all the magazines had put it, was Ally.

Even though she had been put on the album anonymously, Kira knew it was Ally practically as soon as she heard the song.

Seriously though, who else would it be?

Like previously mentioned before, Kira Starr never did anything out of spite.

Until the day she made possibly the biggest mistake of her life.

One she couldn't take back.

That's why her latest tweet read this;

Greetings from Kira Starr! The girl with golden voice! That's right I'm the girl on Austin Moon's album, looks like you can put all those rumors to rest. Quit searching cause you've found your mystery girl.

XOXO,

Kira Starr

**A/N**

**I'm back!**

**Ha ha, bet none of you saw that one coming.**

**Honestly, I didn't either. I just got the idea yesterday while taking a shower (I do some of my best thinking in there) and thought, 'Eh, why not? It's been a while since anything too dramatic has happened.'**

**Seriously though, this story has gotten farther and farther away from how it started. Which doesn't surprise me really. I get off-topic very easily. But I'd just like to thank you guys who have stuck with through this story. You guys rock!**

**Also thanks to XxBrittlexX, ReAdErSfEvEr, toritwilight504, kristinabenoit1, jamesmaslow4evz, SwiftStar1, jarlcarriers, MusicLuver3, xXWritingGoddessXx, xX-T Luv-Xx**

**ausllylover2345, BAD1027, mono5709, duckiemomo123, and the guest for reviewing. Yay! That was the most reviews on one chapter I've had.**

**You guys think I could get 100 before the story's over with cause I'd really like that?**

**Speaking of the end of the story. I don't know about you, but I'm thinking sequel. Your thoughts?**

**Okay songs used in this chapter: 'Put Your Records On' by Corinne Bailey Rae and 'It's My Turn Now' by Keke Palmer. I know that song is kinda old, but I was searching for music and when I heard it I thought "that would be a perfect song for Ally to sing" so yeah.**

**Um, I think that's it.**

**Hope you guys enjoyed it.**

**Kthanxbai!**


	11. Chapter 11

Hanging By A Thread

Chapter Eleven:

Ally thumbs through the pages of the latest issue of Cheetah Beat.

She openly laughs at the ridiculous rumors having to do with the mystery girl on the album*.

She's become quite popular amongst American teenagers (even though no one has a clue it's actually her.)

Nope, everyone else is the world has a ridiculous idea of who the girl is.

Some think she's a crazed fan who threatened the band to put her on the album.

Others think she's one of the boy's secret girlfriends trying to weasel her way into the band.

_Beep, beep, beep_

Ally puts down her rubbish reading material and hops off the kitchen stool to attend to her freshly baked batch of cookies.

She grabs an oven mitt and takes out the tray, placing it on the counter.

"Ally, I swear you make the best cookies," Penny tells her and eyes the cookies longingly.

Diets are such a bitch.

"Thanks, but I think that's a bit of an exaggeration," Ally replies.

"Are the cookies done?" Jasper asks, popping his head in from the living room.

"Yes, but-"

The kids don't give her a chance to finish before they rush into the kitchen to snatch some cookies.

"Kids," Penny says and gives Ally a knowing look.

"Are the cookies done?" Austin asks excitedly. Ally turns her head to see him practically fall down the stairs in the process.

"You have absolutely no patience," Ally says and giggles.

Austin shrugs and grabs a cookie, mumbling a curse under his breath at how hot the tray is.

"Kids," Ally teases using the same tone as Penny did before her.

"Who's Jasper's, uh... friend?" He asks noticing the extra body in the room.

"This is Arianna. Her mom's friends with Penny," Ally introduces.

Austin nods and turns his attention to the girl. "I'm Austin. Ally's boyfriend."

She smiles friendly. "I'm Arianna, but just call me Ari."

Ari looks to be average height for her age. She has wavy brown/black hair, and olive skin.

Austin takes note of her glasses and the wrist bands going halfway up both her arms.

She's wearing ripped jeans and sneakers, yet her tank top is pink and sparkly.

"Jasper! Quit eating all the cookies!" She reprimands jokingly.

"I'm a growing boy, you can't limit my cookie consumption."

"Aww, you two are so cute together," Ally squeals and immediately slaps a hand over her mouth afterward.

This comment causes both pre-teens to flush a deep shade of red.

The an awkward, tension-filled silence falls over the room and its members.

"Uh, I'm just gonna, uh, use the bathroom," she walks away awkwardly.

"Smooth," Austin chokes out with laughter after he's sure she's out of ear-shot.

"This isn't funny!" She hisses.

"Thanks a lot Ally," Jasper mumbles and goes to get himself a glass of milk.

"Sorry," she bites her lip nervously.

He rolls his eyes. "It's fine. I'm sure Ari only likes me as a friend anyway."

"Ah, my baby has a crush!" Penny says over-dramatically and runs over to give him a hug.

"Moooom!"

She laughs and then lets go of her son, ruffling his hair.

"Dude, if you like her then I think you should tell her," Austin suggests.

Jasper only shrugs in response.

"I know! Why don't you ask her to go with you to your mom's wedding?!"

"I don't know.." Jasper says and gives a questioning glance to Ally.

"Austin, that's actually a really good idea," she acknowledges.

"Yeah," he nods, "I have those some times."

All further talk of this subject ceases when Ari walks back into the kitchen.

"I gotta go Jasper. My dad will be here any minute. Thanks for having me over Penny," the girl says politely.

"You're welcome sweetie."

"I'll walk you to the door," Jasper offers and Ari gratefully accepts.

"I had fun today. Your sister makes really really good cookies."

Jasper laughs. "I had fun too."

"Oh, just in time, my dad's here."

"Can I ask you something?" He grabs her wrist with newfound confidence.

"Yeah, sure."

"I was wondering if you'd want to go to my moms wedding... like with me?"

She pauses and thinks it over for awhile.

"I don't know," she glances at the nervous boy in front of her, "will there be cake?"

"Uh, yeah, wedding cake."

"Great! I love cake!" She beams brightly and opens the door to leave.

"Wait! So that's a 'yes' right?" Jasper yells at her.

"Yes, Jasper, you can stop sweating now, I said 'yes'," she answers before hopping into her dad's truck.

Jasper turns to see two teens with wide smiles on their faces.

He pushes past them and shouts; "Not one word!"

…

Ally sighs, shuffling through the contents of the bottom drawer of Austin's dresser.

The drawer that rightfully belongs to her.

Wearing the same five outfits all the time is becoming a huge hassle.

Granted, this does give her an excuse to wear Austin's clothes, but she'd like some of her possessions she left at the house.

"Austin!" She shouts and said boy coming running into the room.

"Yeah, Als?"

"I think we need to make a trip," she answers vaguely.

"A trip?" He laughs. "Wear are we going? Neverland?"

"No," she replies and gets up to walk toward him, "I meant a trip to the house."

"The house?" He swallows hard. "Like the one you use to live in?"

She nods slowly with that look of complete horror in her eyes.

…

The house is run-down.

The grass hasn't been mowed in forever and there's a broken window on the side.

It's sad to think this is the place she grew up in.

Ally opens the car door, but Austin quickly reaches over to close it back.

She quirks an eyebrow at him.

"There is no fucking way you are going in there."

She glances across the road to the house.

"I don't think he's home."

"I don't care. You aren't going in there. I'm not loosing you."

"So you're just gonna go in there by yourself?" He asks in a panic.

"I won't be gone long. Like you said he's probably not even home," Austin answers hopefully.

She looks like she's about to cry.

That kills him, but he's not, by any means, letting her go inside that house.

Austin kisses her and pulls away reluctantly.

"I'll be back," he whispers.

"I'm counting on that," she says fighting back tears.

Austin opens the car door and crosses the street.

He swears it feels like the whole neighborhood is empty.

The door opens with ease, creaking as it slowly moves open.

The floorboards do the same as he walks across them.

Austin steps cautiously up the stairs and into her bedroom where he shakily stuffs another bag full of her clothes.

Austin's in and out quickly, and he thinks soon enough he'll be back in the car with his wonderful girlfriend.

Think again.

What he finds waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs, scares him shitless.

Yet, no traces of fear make its way into his features.

"Didn't think I'd be seeing you again," he says, clearly drunk beyond comprehension.

Austin walks down the stairs an pushes past Jack.

This doesn't make the older man happy.

He grabs Austin and knocks him to the floor.

"Bad idea coming back here." Jack looks around as a devilish smirk appears on his face. "Where the girl?"

"She's not here. She's safe and far away from you, you fucking pervert!"

Austin makes an effort to get off the floor, but this time Jack pushes him up against the wall.

"Wrong answer," he growls lowly.

Austin fights back, but it's no use.

Obviously, this man hasn't quit his habit of doing drugs.

"I'm gone fucking kill you!" Jack yells and Austin knows he means every word of it.

He punches him in the stomach and throws him on the floor, preceding to kick him repeatedly.

Austin's out of breath and slowly starting to slip out of consciousness.

His only thought is of the girl he left in the car who he prays to God he hopes will make it out alive and unharmed.

Ally sits in the hot car, but right now she doesn't give a shit about the temperature.

She knows that the inevitable has happened and is sobbing uncontrollably by the time she hits the call button.

"911, what's your emergency?"

…

_We're driving slow through the snow on fifth avenue_

_And right now, radio's all that we can hear_

_Now we ain't talked since we left its so overdue_

_It's cold outside, but between us it's worse in here_

Ally always hated waiting rooms.

Especially now that she's sitting in one of the uncomfortable chairs with burning eyes, a major headache, and her head resting on her knees.

The sorrowful and apologetic glances she keeps receiving only seem to make her angrier.

She knows they don't really mean it, and why should they?

It makes no difference to her wether the person she's crying over makes it out of here dead or alive.

Dead.

_'Fuck, Ally! No! Stop thinking like that!'_

_The world slows down, but my heart beats fast right now_

_I know this is the part where the end starts_

_I can't take it any longer_

_Thought that we were stronger_

_All we do is linger _

_Slipping through our fingers_

_I don't want to try now _

_All that's left's goodbye _

_To find a way that I can tell you_

_I hate this part right here_

Ally looks up when she hear the bell on the hospital door ring.

Sure enough, the Moons, Penny, Jasper, and her dad are all standing there looking at her.

The heartbreak clear on their faces.

This causes her to break out into tears for the millionth time that night.

She feels a presence of someone sit next to her.

The only person in the world (besides an unconscious blond) who she wants to see right now.

Jasper rubs her back comfortingly, silently giving her his condolences.

No! Not condolences Ally! He's not dead!

Her cell phone chimes, letting her know she has a text.

She checks it, just to try and get her mind off the events of tonight.

New Text From: Trish

Have you been on Twitter today?

She rolled her eyes because Twitter was the least of her problems.

New Text To: Trish

No

Her reply is almost instant.

New Text From: Trish

CHECK IT! NOW!

The urgency makes her curious, so in an effort to humor herself, she goes on her Twitter.

She sees all the usual crap from random people she's not sure why she's following.

When she's in a better mental state, she'll be sure and delete them.

She's about to log off when her eyes catch a glimpse of a tweet by one Kira Starr.

_Clank_.

That's the sound of her phone hitting the hospital floor before she falls apart and tears flow out of her again.

Jasper takes her hand and squeezes it and she grabs him and hugs the life out of him, sobbing into his embrace.

_I hate this part right here_

_I just can't take your tears_

_I hate this part right here_

**A/N**

**Was it crap? I think it was crap! Ugh I'm so sorry!**

**Anyways, I had planned on putting Jack in this story again, but then thought, 'No I don't want to do that,' but then ReAdErSfEvEr said something about bringing him back so you all have her to thank for this chapter.**

**Ha ha, just kidding!**

**Big shout out to jarlcarriers (the rightful owner of Ari) thanks for letting me use your OC! You are awesome!**

**Song used in this chapter: 'I hate this part right here' by Pussycat Dolls**

**Thanks again to kristinabenoit1, jamesmaslow4evz, xX-T Luv-Xx, mono5709, Elina-Ann, jarlcarriers, ReAdErSfEvEr, XxWritingGoddessxX, and the guests who reviewed.**

**If I could get over 100 reviews on this story I would be such a happy camper!**

**So, a sequel? Should I make one? Huh, guys, huh?**

**Alright I hope you enjoyed this *cringe* awful chapter.**

**Kthanxbai!**


	12. Chapter 12

Hanging By A Thread  
Chapter Twelve:

It's a long, quiet ride to the hospital.

Ally looks aimlessly out the car window, her thoughts distracting her from the Miami highway blurring past them.

Mr. Moon is driving the car with an unreadable look on his face as his wife does her best not to fall apart.

Aaron and Aiden are silently comforting their sister. Avery just stares down at the floor of the car.

Alex is in his own little world, texting (an activity he'd been indulging in all morning.) His eyes are locked on the screen in intense concentration.

The only thing Ally can think as she looks around at the sad carload is; _I put their son/brother in the hospital. I caused these people pain._

Finally, they reach their destination and everyone gets out of the car, hurrying to get inside.

Mr. Moon checks them in and not long after, he motions for Ally to come.

She obeys and slowly walks up next to him behind the nurses desk.

"She says Austin's only allowed one visitor at a time, so I think you should go first," he explains.

"I couldn't-"

"Don't protest," there's a certain sternness to his voice.

She's taken back by this.

His eyes soften into an apologetic glance, saying sorry for his harshness. He then nods in affirmation and Ally nods back before showing herself to Austin's hospital room.

It's a normal room, nothing too fancy.

There's a bed and two chairs and a small tv in the corner. The walls are painted grey and sunlight pours in through the window.

"Hey," Austin says. She notices he sounds tired.

"Hi," she squeaks out, trying to ease the tightness in her chest.

"Are you okay? I was worried about you," Austin asks and then takes a sip of his juice.

"I'm fine. After all I'm not the one in a hospital bed who passed out last night."

He sighs and hangs his head low. "I was hoping you weren't gonna make a big deal about it."

"Well, I am. You wanna know why? Because it's a big deal?!"

Austin takes ahold of her shaking hands and locks eyes with her.

"Calm down," he whispers.

She takes in a deep breath and composes herself. "Last night, I-I didn't know if you were dead or alive."

"Well, I'm alive," he smiles, " and honestly, I'm not that bad off. The doctors say I can go home tomorrow."

"Really?" This cheers her up the slightest bit.

"Really."

She lets out a relived sigh and for the first time that morning, she smiles.

"So what happened to you?" She scoots herself closer to him.

Austin shrugs. "Broken leg, two broken ribs, sprained wrist. They told me it was all the internal bleeding I did that caused me to pass out."

Silence falls on the two teens as Ally contemplates her next move.

She leans in slowly and kisses him, letting him know through that one gesture just how much he means to her.

"I hope you know I love you," she says once she pulls away.

"I do," he smiles.

"Good," she says quietly and then kisses him again before pulling away hugging him.

He hugs back and it's like that for a few more minutes.

The two of them hugging each other. Austin's steady heartbeat lull Ally into a sense of comfort.

She moves away and stands back up.

Austin frowns. "You're leaving?"

"Yeah," she answers reluctantly, "you're only allowed one visitor at a time and I know you're family really wants to see you."

"Yeah, I wanna see them too."

She smile and waves goodbye before pulling the door shit tightly.

Ally smiles up at the ceiling and whispers.

"Thank you for keeping him alive."

...

Aaron Moon walks around the maze of a hospital in search of a vending machine to tide his hunger over.

So far, no luck, but he's not ready to give up just yet.

"Yeah, something came up today."

A long pause.

"No, I swear, I'll be there tomorrow."

Aaron hears the familiar voice of his younger brother, Alex.

"It's a long story, I'll explain later."

Another pause, this one longer.

"Yeah,tomorrow for sure. Okay, see you then."

Alex turns around to see his older brother with a smug look on his face.

"What the hell, bro? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"Well, we are at a hospital," Aaron says, grinning cheekily at his lame joke.

"Ha ha," he replies with an obvious eye roll.

"Dude, what's up your skirt?" Aaron asks, but his brother just pushes past him.

"Who were you on the phone with? Was that the person you've been texting all morning?"

"How is that any of your business?" Alex asks shortly.

"Because I'm your older brother," he stops and his lips form into an amused smirk. "Wait a minute, you were talking to a girl weren't you?"

"Just shut up," Alex mumbles and looks back down to his phone screen.

"Weren't you? Huh, Alex? You got a date tonight?"

"I said shut up!" His voice grows louder.

"Alex has a date tonight!" He sing-songs and grabs his brother in a hug.

Alex shoves him harshly. "Fuck off, man!"

Aaron looks at him, shocked an tries to apologize, but Alex just turns arounds and stalks off.

Aaron cross his arms over his chest and leans against wall behind him. "He didn't have to be a dueche about it."

...

The next day, Ally helps Austin up the steps, trying carefully not to hurt him.

They make it inside and she says Austin down on the couch gently.

"Thanks, Als," he kisses her forehead and she smiles.

The rest of the Moons file into the house and crowd around the couch, hugging Austin and telling him how much they missed him and how glad they are he's okay.

Austin smiles up at his family, but his smile soon fades when he notices one his brothers appears to be absent.

"Hey," he looks around, clearly confused, "where's Alex?"

"He's on a date," Aiden answers and slips into the kitchen.

"Yeah, but don't ask him about or he'll get mad at you," Aaron mutters with a frown and places himself in a chair.

"Seriously? Whose he on a date with anyway?" Austin asks. There's a slight anger to his tone.

Aaron shrugs, and is if on cue, the front door opens and Alex steps from behind it.

He's laughing with a bright smile on his face.

"Oh, hey look it's my family," he says to whoever else is behind the door. He seems surprised they had gotten back from the hospital already.

Everyone cranes their necks, trying to get a look at this mystery girl.

"You brought your date home with you?" Ally asks in disapproval, knowing damn well what he had intended on doing had they not been home.

Alex shrugs and grins sheepishly before closing the door.

And walking into the kitchen.

Hand in hand.

With Kira Starr.

**A/N  
Short, I know. I'm sorry! I'll be updating a longer chapter soon hopefully within the next few days.**

**Guys, guess what?! Only five more chapters until the sequel (because I decided there will be a sequel.) I'm so excited since I've never finished a story before so yay!**

**Thanks to ausllylover2345, toritwilight504, xX-T Luv-Xx, IHeartMusic-2, kristinabenoit1, jarlcarriers, Trunksgirl1026, mono5709, ReAdErSfEvEr, and XxWritingGoddessxX, and the guests who reviewed! I love you guys!**

**And thank you guys SOOOO much! Thanks to you guys I've got over 100 reviews on this!**

**Review please! I'd really appreciate it!**

**Kthanxbai!**


	13. Chapter 13

Hanging By A Thread

Chapter Thirteen:

Kira Starr.

Kira effing Starr.

Ally looks from Austin, to Avery, to Aaron, and then to Aiden whose in the kitchen eyeing the couple questioningly.

Austin shuffles to his feet and trudges into the kitchen, the other three close behind him.

"Alex, I'm bored," Kira whines and juts out her bottom lip in an attempt to look adorable. "I thought you said your family wasn't gonna be home."

"Um, barf," Avery scrunches her nose in disgust.

Ally shifts uncomfortably on the balls of her feet, she can feel the anger reverberate off of Austin.

"Um, what is she doing here?" Ally asks trying not to sound at all bitter, but the look in her eyes kind of gives it away.

"We're dating now. You have a problem with that?" Kira bites back.

Aiden practically chokes on his Dr. Pepper. "Dating? You can't be serious?"

Alex glares at his older brother and then proceeds to wrap an arm around Kira's waist. A waist that's barely being covered by those shorts she's wearing.

Lets not even get started on her tank tops, or her boobs practically hanging out of it.

Kira's iPhone chimes and she fishes it out of her bag.

A sultry smile plays on her lips.

"Good news, Alex, my dad's gonna be gone all weekend. The house is all mine, or should I say all ours," she says this with suggestive wink and grabs his hand to pull him out of the house.

She makes sure to give a smug look Austin and Ally's way before leaving.

Alex mumbles something of a 'see you guys later' before slamming the door shut.

Avery shudders. "I feel like I need to take a shower after that."

An awkward, tension-filled silence falls upon the kitchen.

Everyone just kinda leaves the room and wanders upstairs.

Everyone, but Austin and Ally.

"I can't believe she'd do this. I shouldn't be surprised, but I am. And after that twitter post and everything," Ally mutters mostly to herself, yet Austin still manages to hear.

He turns to Ally. "What twitter post?"

Ally quits her babbling and looks up at him. "What?"

"What twitter post?" He asks again.

"Weeeeell," she draws out the word and gives a guilty smile. Austin offers a look that says 'you better tell me what's going on'.

"Kira may have posted something on twitter about her being the girl on the album."

"Wait! She what?" He yells. "And when were you gonna tell me about this?"

Ally sighs and walks him back into the living room for him to take a seat.

She sits down next to him. "I was gonna tell you, just not right after you got out of the hospital."

"Who else knows about this?"

She shrugs. "Trish and your siblings, and by now probably Dez."

"My siblings," he says quietly and then turns his attention to the brunette. "Even Alex?"

She nods and mumbles, "yeah, even Alex."

…

She aches.

Every single muscle in her body is coursing with a dull pain.

No wonder people just want to get their first time over with so quickly.

It's horribly painful.

She's so sore, she's positive she won't be able to walk tomorrow.

Kira sighs and gathers up her clothes, the ones laying a strewn across the floor, in a bundle before walking to master bathroom located right out of her father's bedroom.

She rummages through the medicine cabinet with shaky fingers as she searches for the bottle of generic aspirin.

Fortunately, she finds it quickly and gulps a pill down in one dry swallow.

Kira proceeds to get dressed and once she's done, takes a good look at herself in the mirror.

The no-longer-a-virgin gapes at her reflection.

Extremely messed up hair, swollen lips, and a very new (very noticeable) bruise on her neck just above her collarbone.

What has she gotten herself into?

She doesn't feel good about what she's doing.

In fact, she feels like shit.

But something in her seems to kick her in the ass every time she thinks about giving up the act.

Just caving in.

Telling everyone the truth.

Apologizing for all the things she's done.

All the lives she's stepped on.

Honestly, she doesn't even know why she thought this plan would work.

She's defeating herself in a game where she's not even sure what the prize is.

Fame?

Fortune?

Austin?

The first two could be achieved easily. Did you forget who her dad was?

So that just leaves the last one.

A far away dream that deep down inside she knows she'll never get.

But there's a hope, and that hope fuels a fire inside of her, telling her-demanding her- not to give up yet.

She's lost to much to throw in the towel now.

Because, seriously, she has.

Kira takes one more pill before stalking back to her room.

Alex is sitting upright in her bed with a Cheshire Cat grin on his face.

"You ready for round two?"

There's that kick in the ass again that tells her to plaster a fake smile on her face.

She lays herself back on the bed and answers with the most sincerity she can muster up (which isn't very much.)

"Absolutely."

…

"Moon family meeting!" Austin yells as Ally bangs a gavel on the dinning room table.

"Man do I love gaveling," she says quietly with a cheery smile.

"Doesn't mom usually call us down for those?" Aaron inquires as he hops off the staircase.

"Besides, were missing a Moon," Aiden comments even though no one seems to missing Alex at this very moment.

"Just get your asses in here and sit down," Austin tells them and they all do as instructed.

"Alright guys," Ally begins as soon as everyone's seated, "it's been brought to my attention that your brother could use some... damage control."

"What he could use is a good kick in the ass," Aaron interjects and the rest of them give guilty looks, silently saying they kind of agree.

"Okay, he may not be the smartest person in the world right now, but guys, he's still your brother. We have to help him out."

"I don't even understand why he's doing this? I mean I get why she is, ya know, cause she's a bitch, but seriously when did our little brother turn into a traitor?" Aaron asks angrily.

"Guys," Austin replies calmly, "we all know why he's doing this."

The Moons glance around at each other wondering if any of them know what he's talking about.

"Alex may seem like huge player, but we all know he secretly wants a girlfriend. Think about it, he's the only one of us whose never been in love."

There's a silence as Aiden, Avery, Aaron, and Ally contemplate this statement.

Then finally Avery speaks up. "Just because he wants a girlfriend, doesn't mean he can just throw himself at the first girl to tell him she loves him. We all know she's only doing this to get at Austin."

Ally stiffens the slightest bit at these words.

Austin senses this and directs his next sentence at Ally. "And we all know that's not gonna happen." He intertwines their finger under the table and suddenly all uneasiness is released from her.

The Moon siblings nod because they believe in those words more than anything.

"So," Avery sighs, "how do we get our little brother back?"

"I have a plan, but the first part might be kind of difficult," Austin tells them.

"What's the first part?" Aiden asks and leans over the table to listen closely.

Austin look at his girlfriend. "Ally, you're gonna have to tell everyone it was you on the album."

She bites her bottom lip and give him a worried glance.

Inside she's freaking out, but she also knows that some things need to be set straight.

And if it gets Alex back to them, then hell, she'll give it a shot.

Ally nods and offers a small smile. "So what's the rest of your master plan?"

Austin smiles as well and rests his arm around the back of Ally's chair before continuing on with the rest of his idea.

**A/N**

**Well, it looks like something's about to go down!**

**Again, wasn't really a long chapter, but it was a quick update so yeah.**

**I'm just really excited to finish this story. Not because I don't like it, but because ( as I've said before) I've never finished a story and so this will be kinda like a milestone for me! Plus I'm really excited to start the sequel.**

**So yeah. What do you think? Schemes and a non-virgin Kira. Pretty juicy, eh?**

**SO MUCH DRAMA! :P**

**Alright thanks to ausllylover2345, kristinabenoit1, xX-T Luv-Xx, mono5709, jarlcarriers, toritwilight504, IHeartMusic-2, jamesmaslow4evz, and the guest who reviewed! **

**Adios muchacos! (Did I even spell that right?!) **

**Kthanxbai!**


	14. Chapter 14

Hanging By A Thread

Chapter Fourteen:

Ally's sweating.

Half because it's really hot, but also because she's nervous.

She's also very grateful she decided to wear a tank top.

Nasty sweat stains are the last things he needs right now.

She pears out from behind the red velvet curtain to the awaiting audience.

Suddenly, her stomach twists in a painful knot, causing an uncomfortable rush of nausea to overcome her.

She feels faint, like she could pass out right on the spot.

_Calmdown,Ally!Calmdown,Ally! Calmdown,Ally!_ She repeats over and over again in her mind until a strong pair of arms wrap around her waist and a gentle kiss is planted on her head.

She exhales loudly and melts into the embrace.

Something catches her attention out of the corner of her eye.

It's them.

Alex and Kira.

She can't tell exactly what's going on with them, and in all honesty, she doesn't want to know the very disgusting and intimate details of what's going on either

All she knows is that, soon enough she'll never have to deal with that again.

"You ready to do this?" Austin asks. She had almost forgotten he was behind her.

"No," she answers, "but yes at the same time."

Austin laughs and then lets her go to join the rest of the band members.

"Alright, guys," Trish yells as she walks up to them, a red head with a video camera trailing closely behind, "show starts in two minutes. Get your asses on stage and go rock these fans worlds."

They all get their gear together and walk out onto the stage.

Trish joins Ally behind stage while Dez moves around to get a good angle for his video.

"You sure you wanna do this?" Trish asks her friend.

Ally shrugs and bites her lip. "What other choice do I have?"

Both girls glance over to Kira, who is on the other side of the room, she catches their looks as quickly averts her attention to the ground.

They look away, exchanging confused expressions as they do, and then bring their full attention to the band's performance.

They perform three songs, resulting in extreme enthusiasm from the fans as well as the band members, before Austin gives the girls a look, signaling the time to put the plan into action.

"Are you guys excited?" Aiden shouts to the audience and they all scream in reply.

Aaron chuckles at this. "Alright, well, we have a very special guest here to perform tonight. A close personal friend of ours that you guys may know as the mystery girl who was on our album!"

They all can make out the faint sound of two or three people shouting, "Kira Starr! Kira Starr!"

"Well, here she is ladies and gentlemen, Kira Starr!" Austin shouts and gestures to the exit on the left side of the stage.

The crowd is ecstatic, but Kira makes no attempt toward the exit.

"Come on, Kira, don't be shy," Avery comments mockingly.

"What are you guys doing?" Alex hisses at his siblings, but they all ignore him.

Soon, Kira walks out onto the stage. She gives an angry/ panicked look to Alex who doesn't know what to do.

Everyone is shouting and chanting her name as Austin hands her the mic and stifles a laugh at the terrified expression she's wearing.

Kira swallows loudly and lets her eyes roam over the many, many audience members.

"What's wrong, Kira? Cat got your tongue?" Aaron asks with a smug smile.

"Or do you just have a bad case of mistaken identity?" Trish replies with a harsh edge to her words.

Kira looks at the fiery Latina who places her hands on her hips and offers her a vicious glare.

Ally strides confidently behind her friend and crosses her arms over her chest.

"You... bitch," Kira manages to squeak out and the mic in her hands carries those words throughout the building.

Everyone in the audience is thoroughly confused.

"Really? I'm the bitch? You were the one using someone just to get to their brother!" Ally says defiantly.

"I'm sorry if I felt jealous like any normal person would!" She retorts back.

"Admit it, you hated me. You hated me because I have the one thing your dad's money and power will never be able to get you. So then when something good happened to me, you had to take it away from me to make things even."

"I don't hate you," Kira pipes up in a quiet voice, "I never did hate you. I don't hate you and Austin for ending up together either. What I hated was that the whole time I was in love with him, you were all he could think about.

"He loved you then, he loves you now, and he'll probably never love anyone as much as he loves you. At least not the same way."

And then she does something no one expects.

"Ally, I'm sorry."

But, she's not done yet.

She turns around to Alex.

"Alex, I'm sorry. I never should have used you like that. Austin, Avery, Aiden, and Aaron, I'm sorry."

The she turns to the audience. "Guys, I'm sorry I tricked you. The truth is, I'm not the girl off the album. I'm not the one you want to hear perform tonight. Ally is."

She hands the mic to Ally who is staring at her, not believing any of this.

Kira then walks off stage and disappears behind the curtain.

Ally is pulled back into reality by Trish, who elbows her lightly and points to the audience members. "Your fans await."

She smiles and steps up to the front of the stage.

You can do this, Dawson.

_Hey hey_

_Uh huh_

_Hey hey_

_Uh huh_

_Hey hey_

_Yeah_

_I'm finally me_

_I've never felt this before_

_I'm not afraid anymore_

_Been writing words on a page_

_Cause I've got so much to say_

_And now I'm taking the stage_

_Woah_

_I'm getting ready to fly_

_I know it's my turn to shine_

_Don't care if I'll make mistakes_

_I'll do whatever it takes_

_Cause I've got so much to say_

_Woah_

_I'm finally me_

_Got everything I need_

_What you get is what you see_

_I, I, I'm finally me_

_And I've never felt so free_

_There's no one else I'm trying to be_

_I'm finally me_

_Hey hey_

_Uh huh_

_Hey hey_

_Uh huh_

_Hey hey_

_Yeah_

_I'm finally me_

_I'm stepping out of my shell_

_Feels good just being myself_

_Not scared to show what's inside_

_I'll put it all on the line_

_Cause I've got nothing to hide_

_Woah_

_I'm finally me_

_Got everything I need_

_What you get is what you see_

_I, I, I'm finally me_

_And I've never felt so free_

_There's no one else I'm trying to be_

_I'm finally me_

_Hey hey_

_Uh huh_

_Hey hey_

_Uh huh_

_Hey hey_

_Yeah_

_I'm finally me_

_Hey hey_

_Uh huh_

_Hey hey_

_Uh huh_

_Hey hey _

_Yeah_

_I'm finally me_

_Got everything I need_

_What you get is what you see_

_I, I, I'm finally me_

_And I've never felt so free_

_There's no one else I'm trying to be_

_I'm finally me_

_Hey hey_

_Uh huh_

_Hey hey_

_Uh huh_

_Hey hey_

_Yeah_

_I'm finally me_

_Hey hey_

_Uh huh_

_Hey hey_

_Uh huh_

_Hey hey_

_Yeah_

_I'm finally me_

The song ends and Ally steps away with the biggest smile on her face.

"I did it!" She shouts and gathers the band in for a group hug.

Dez and Trish soon join in on it.

Ally catches the sight of Kira behind the curtain who mouths, 'Great job.'

Ally mouths back, 'Thank you' and motions for her to join them in the hug.

.…

They all go back to the Moon's house and all anyone can talk about is Ally's amazing performance.

She's buzzing, feeling the high of performing on stage that Austin always talked about.

Ally's eyes fall onto the youngest Moon whose eyes are full of pleasing. Much like a look a proud parent might give to their child.

"You did great, Als," he says quietly and looks back down to the floor.

She smiles and wraps him in a big hug. "I'm glad you're back. I missed you," she whispers into his shoulder.

He laughs and hugs her back tightly.

Soon, she smiles and lets go, only to invite the other six into the hug.

They sure as hell don't have to be told twice.

Ally sighs contently and melts into the hug, the words of her song running through her mind.

I'm finally me!

**A/N**

**:) In the end everything works out. Then again, this isn't the end! **

**...Not quite yet it isn't.**

**I didn't make Kira some evil, heartless bitch because I don't think that's really who she is inside. She was jealous and made some stupid mistakes. Geez, guys, people are allowed to make mistakes without being the antagonist.**

**Thanks to kristinabenoit1, jamesmaslow4evz, ausllylover2345, xX-T Luv-Xx, ReAdErSfEvEr, mono5709, and the guest who reviewed. **

**Song used in this chapter: I'm Finally Me by Laura Marano ( gotta love that girl!)**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter! **

**Don't forget to review!**

**Kthanxbai!**


	15. Chapter 15

Hanging By A Thread

Chapter Fifteen:

This was seriously not the time for this.

Her dad's wedding -one that was suppose to be starting in less than an hour- was definitely not the time for Austin and his brothers to be cheering on Dez as he slow dances with a frozen turkey.

"Seriously guys?" She asks leaning against the doorframe, hands crossed over her chest and lips formed into a thin line as an irritated expression graces her face.

They boys' attention is quickly directed to the brunette and they instantly freeze.

"Oh, uh... hi Ally," Alex says nervously as Aiden fumbles with Aaron's phone in an attempt to shut off the music emitting from the device.

"Hello, boys," she says sharply and glance around the very messy room. The carpeted church floor is littered with candy wrappers, chip bags, and soda cans.

Aaron opens his mouth to give an explanation to the odd situation, but closes it almost immediately, finding it uncomfortable, and even a little scary, under her intense glare.

"Clean. This. Up. Now." She enunciates each words as its own sentence.

"Yes ma'am," Aaron says and they all get to work on cleaning the place up.

"And Dez," the red-head looks up to her.

"Yeah, Ally?"

"Put the turkey away!"

"Fine," he sighs and stuffs it back into his bag.

Ally rolls her eyes as Jasper comes up to her timidly, his blue tie resting in the palm of his hand.

She leans down to his level of height with a knowing smile on her face. "Do you need some help with that?"

Jasper nods and hands the object of such difficulty to his older step-sister.

She ties it and gives him a tight squeeze before sending him on his way.

Seconds later Austin emerges from the bathroom, tie also in hand with a goofy grin on his face.

Ally busts out with laughter and proceeds to help her seventeen-year-old boyfriend with his tie.

"What am I gonna do with you?" She asks quietly and mostly to herself.

He grins cheekily and brushes his lips over hers, mumbling, "maybe this," before full-on kissing her lips.

…

This is really happening.

She's really walking down the aisle with Austin, Dez and Trish following behind, after them are Austin's brothers and some bridesmaids they met this morning.

Her dad is really standing up at the front of the church, and soon, those double doors will open wide and Penny will walk down the aisle. The priest will talk, they'll do the song, the vows will happen, the priest will tell them they're husband and wife, they'll kiss, and then it'll be over.

Everything will be said and done.

Ally's not mad.

Not even in the slightest.

If anything, she's confused.

She's confused because she thinks she should be mad, she'd have all the reason to be, but one look at her dad and Penny and the love they have for each other, one look at Jasper's face and big smile he's always wearing, any scarce amounts of anger melt away.

"Before we begin the ceremony," the priest's voice pulls her back into reality, "the grooms daughter would like to perform a song she wrote herself."

Austin takes her hand, producing a smile on both their faces and they head in the direction of the piano. Both of them taking their spots on the bench, thighs brushing ever-so-slightly and Ally begins the melody with Austin quickly joining in.

_All along it was a fever, _

_A cold sweat, hot headed believer_

_I threw my hands in the air and said, "show me something",_

_He said, "if you dare come a little closer",_

_Round and around and around and around we go,_

_Oh now tell me now tell me now tell me now you know,_

_Not really sure how to feel about it,_

_Something in the way you move,_

_Makes me feel like I can't live without you,_

_And it takes me all the way,_

_I want you to stay,_

Austin's voice then takes over for his part of the duet.

_It's not much of a life you're living,_

_It's not just something you take, it's given,_

_Round and around and around and around we go,_

_Oh now tell me now tell me now tell me now you know,_

_Not really sure how to feel about it,_

_Something in the way you move,_

_Makes me feel like I can't live without you,_

_And it takes me all the way,_

_I want you to stay,_

Then their voices blend together in a perfect harmony.

_Oh, the reason I hold on,_

_Oh, cause I need this hole gone,_

_Funny you're the broken one, but I'm the only one who needed saving,_

_Cause when you never see the light, it's hard to know which one of us is caving,_

_Not really sure how to feel about it,_

_Something in the way you move,_

_Makes me feel like I can't live without you,_

_And it takes me all the way,_

_I want you to stay, stay_

_I want you to stay, oh_

The song comes to an end and everyone claps. Austin connects their hands once again and the priest clears his throat, bringing the audience's attention back to him.

"We are gathered here today.."

…

The reception is a very lively event.

Everyone is laughing and having a good time.

The Moon boys are eating, which is a pretty dead give away they're happy.

Aaron, Aiden, Alex, Austin, Ally, Jasper, Ari, Dez, Trish, and Avery are standing in a sort of lop-sided circle as everyone gets done laughing at something Ari had said.

Avery holds her sides. "Jasper, you didn't... you didn't tell me your girlfriend was so funny," she says between fits of giggles and she wipes tears from her eyes, careful not to streak her mascara.

Jasper and Ari don't say anything. They aren't dating, merely good friends, and they know that, but they both know theirs no point in trying to convince everyone of this. They'll believe whatever they want to believe no matter what they've been told.

Teenagers can be really stubborn sometimes.

Penny and Lester walk over to the group with smiling faces.

Penny has changed into a shorter dress for this event. Instead of her white satin wedding gown, she's wearing an off-white dress that stops several inches below the knee. Not as glamorous, but maybe a bit more practical.

"Hey guys," they both say.

Everyone waves and smiles.

"You looked beautiful," Ally informs her and Penny looks as though she's gonna cry.

"Thank you," she gushes and envelopes the smaller girl in a hug.

"Group hug!" Someone, probably Aaron shouts, and soon everyone joins in on the gesture.

_'How could I be mad at these people?' _Ally thinks. _'My friends, my family, my home.'_

**A/N**

**Very short I know I'm sorry. It wasn't very good. Again, sorry. I apologize for taking so long to update as some of you know I recently published some others stories so I was kinda distracted by them, but also I was uninspired with this story. I thought once about just finishing it up and not even worrying about a sequel, but after thinking it over I decided that wouldn't be fair to you guys.**

**I don't know when the next chapter will updated, it maybe a long while again. I apologize in advance.**

**Sorry, I was lazy with the proof-reading (as always.) I'm not feeling very well right now and so I wasn't in the mood to.**

**Thanks to ausllylover2345, jamesmaslow4evz, kristinabenoit1, xX- T Luv -Xx, mono5709, aesham01, jarlcarriers, ReAdErSfEvEr, and the guest who reviewed! You guys are what keep me going even when I feel like giving up.**

**Also, again, credit to jarlcarriers who is the rightful owner of Ari. You rock, girl!**

**I wouldn't even blame you if you didn't want to review this piece of shit chapter, but if you do thank you! You are my motivation.**

**Sorry once again.**

**Kthanxbai!**


	16. Chapter 16

Hanging By A Thread

Chapter Sixteen:

Ally is shaking. Her pulse is racing like the wings of a hummingbird and she feels sick to her stomach.

She thinks it's safe to say she's probably nervous.

"Miss?" The receptionist asks, pulling Ally back into reality.

Ally snaps out of it, too anxious to be embarrassed about her little episode.

"Ally Dawson, I'm here to see my mother Melissa Dawson."

The lady nods and points her in the right direction, but Ally's not sure if she can move or not. Her knees feel weak and she doesn't quite understand how there still holding her up.

_'One step at a time,' _she thinks, _'that's easy enough. Yeah, just forget the fact that today you're visiting the women who caused you physical and emotional abuse for five in rehab.'_

Ally shakes that thought out of her head. _'Don't think, just go.'_

So she pushes herself to walk down the hallway. Her heart is pounding in her ears and she can feel it beat against her rib cage like an animal stuck in a cage and not very happy about it.

But, then, there's nowhere left to go but inside.

Room 253, that's where her mother now currently resides in the Southern Florida Rehab Facility.

She raps her knuckles against the metal door.

"Come in."

Even without the slur, she knows that voice belongs to her mom.

Ally pushes the door open gently and walks into the room.

Her mom is standing by the window, staring out at the world she hasn't been a part of in so long. Her hair has grown long and it looks like no one's pulled a brush through it in a long time. As for her clothes, lets just say, someone should do some laundry very soon.

"Elaine, just put my food on the table, I'll get to it in a minute," her mom gestures to the table on the other side of the room.

Ally doesn't know what to do. She tries her best to get the words, 'Its me, your daughter,' out, but they all get caught in her throat.

When she doesn't hear any sort of reply, Melissa turns around and the sight in front of her brings tears to her.

"Allyson."

That's all that's said.

Minutes pass while they both just stare at each other, studying every detail of the other. It's definitely obvious her mom's drinking had finally caught up with her.

"Uh, um, make yourself comfortable," Melissa gestures to the small unmade bed in the corner. "I don't have any chairs, I could request one if you'd like."

A ghost of a smile graces her lips. "That's okay, I didn't plan on staying long."

The look of hurt in her mom's eyes doesn't go unnoticed by her. "I understand."

Again a silence fills the room, for an even longer period of time.

"I'm sorry," she says quietly.

"It's okay," Ally replies, but almost immediately her mom is refusing.

"No, it's not! There's no excuse for what I did. A mother's job is to keep her kids protected, but I didn't do that. In fact, I'm the only thing you had to be protected from," she says in a strained voice. "Me... and him."

Ally knows who she's referring to, instantly stiffening at the thought of him.

But, no, he's in jail. He won't be hurting anyone anytime soon.

"Why would you ever want to come back and see me?" Her mom asks, but looks down at the floor.

"Because you're my mom," that answer seems a little weak now that she thinks about it.

Melissa sighs and walks over to her daughter. She places a hand on her shoulder which causes Ally to jump away.

Melissa nods in understanding. She lets her hand fall to her side and backs up.

"You look beautiful and so grown up."

Ally smiles. Those are the first nice words she heard from her mother in a long time.

Suddenly an urge over comes her. Curiosity flows through her veins.

"Did you really give dad my number?"

Her mom nods and licks her lips, in thought of where to lead this conversation.

"He visited me a couple months ago. Said he had went to the house, but no one was home. He found out I was here and demanded that I tell him where you were. I was honest when I said I had no idea, but I gave him your number and apparently he reached you."

Ally crossed her hands over her chest, shifting on the balls of her feet. "He got married, ya know?"

She nods. "Yeah, I heard."

"Are you mad?"

Melissa shakes her head. "I don't have enough time left to be mad."

Ally raises an eyebrow as her features conform to a look of confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Ally," she pauses, getting her thoughts together, "I have cancer."

Ally is shocked because quite frankly, that's not something she had expected to hear.

"I've had it for a long time now, and the doctors said I waited too long. There's simply nothing they can do."

Ally takes this moment to sit on the bed, thoughts flooding through her mind too fast to properly comprehend any of them.

"How long do you have?" She asks quietly and looks back up at her mother.

She shrugs. "I don't know and I don't want to know. It'll only put me on edge until it happens."

Ally sighs and nods in understanding. For once, she feels like the bad person of the two of them. Here her mother was, shut up in a rehab facility waiting to die. She has wanted to see Ally, but Ally refused. Now she was here, but who knows how much time would be left.

Ally's thoughts must have been clear from her facial expressions because her mom speaks up.

"Don't feel bad about this. You didn't know, there's no way you could have known. And if I were you, I probably never would have shown up."

Ally stands up and does something she never imagined herself ever doing again.

She hugs her mom.

And her mom hugs back.

…

Hours pass.

She doesn't want to leave, but she has to.

She promises to come visit her again.

As Ally steps out of the building the warm Florida air settles on her skin and she receives a text.

It's from Austin.

_I told them everything. Are you out of the rehab center yet?_

She smiles, thankful he'd finally told the story of her horrible past to their best friends and they weren't in the dark anymore.

She quickly types back.

_Thank you so much :) How did they take it? And, yeah, I just got out._

It's a really long walk back to the Moon house and today she doesn't feel like walking. She's very glad that Austin had insisted on picking her up after she was done here.

*beep*

She fishes around for her phone.

_Trish was kind of pissed you never told her and Dez was... Well, he was pretty 'Dez' about it. Okay, we'll pick you up soon and get something to eat. I'm hungry._

_Austin, you're always hungry._

He doesn't reply back for a while. This leaves Ally alone with her thoughts as she sits down on a bench in front of the building.

After several minutes of silence her phone beeps again.

_Hey, I love you. Never forget that._

_Hey, I love you too :) and I wouldn't_ _dream of it._

She sighs contently and leans her head on the back of the bench, closing her eyes and being kissed by the sun.

Even with everything that's happened in her life, he still finds a way to make things seem not that bad.

She's perfectly fine with hanging by a thread as long as he's the thread she hanging onto.

'_Yeah_,' she thinks, _'I'm gonna be just fine.'_

**A/N**

**I think I'm starting to get my... thing back (I dunno what you would call it. Mojo? Groove? Game? Anyways..) This chapter still isn't, in my opinion, my best work, but it's definitely better than the last chapter. I'm really sorry about that. Crazy teenage hormones can really make a girl bitch out, but hey I'M ALL GOOD NOW!**

**So, this is the *sniff, sniff* last chapter. There's gonna be an epilogue and then that's it. :(**

**BUT! Don't be too sad, because there's gonna be a sequel! And it will be amazing! **

**Thanks to mono5709, jamesmaslow4evz, xX- T Luv- Xx, kristinabenoit1, Kathy0518, AustinAllyAuslly, ausllylover2345, Musicsoftball, aeshom01, and writemeAL for reviewing! Seriously ya'll are amazing! I love you and I hope you stick with me through the next story as well.**

**Oh, and also, I watched the full episode of 'Viral Videos and Very Bad Dancing' this morning and it was hilarious! Oh Em Gee I'm like in love with Dez! So if you haven't already watched it, I suggest you go do that. **

**And before I forget, guys go show me some love on Twiiter would you? I would really appreciate it. NeonShoeStrings!**

**Kthanxbai!**


	17. Epilogue

Hanging By A Thread

_Epilogue_

...*Nine Months Later*...

Don't get Austin wrong, he knows how important graduation night is. Ally manages to inform him of this at least a hundred times a day.

Everyone, parents, students, and teachers alike, is completely stressed out due to tonight's upcoming events. Ally is no exception. She's practiced her speech on Austin so many times he knows it well enough to get up and give it himself.

Needless to say, kidnaping the valedictorian is the last thing anyone needs.

Kidnaping is such a strong term for this particular situation though. All that's really happening is Austin taking his girlfriend, despite her protests, far from the hustle and bustle of graduation prep for a few moments with just the two of them.

There's just something he really needs to tell her, and keeping it from her any longer is only going drive him crazy. He knows they won't get a moments peace after graduation. Their families will rush to their sides, demanding pictures and suggesting a dinner that will last all night. Once they get home, both will be tired to get any talking done.

So, as she does her best to escape his grip and return back to the school, (he finds her inevitable determination very cute, but all together useless) he drags her in the direction of the courtyard under the illumination of the full moon.

"Austin, what are you doing? Did you forget we have to be lined up and ready to graduate in fifteen minutes?" Ally inquires when he's finally let go of her. She readjusts her cap, patting hair down and then returning her attention to Austin, giving him a look that says he's got some explaining to do.

Austin knows he should be jumping to an explanation, but he can't help but look at her dressed up in her graduation get-up.

her hair is lightly curled in traditional Ally fashion with the same flairs of gold at the bottom that stand out amongst the rest of her auburn locks.

Her lashes are coated in mascara and her lips are painted bright red to match the scarlet gown she's wearing. Unlike the gray one he has on that he can't wait to get out of, she looks good in hers.

"Earth to Moon?" She waves her hand in front of his face, getting quite impatient.

He's brought back to reality and remembers the whole reason he stole her away in the first place.

"Are you sure you're okay with not going to college?" His question, one that seems to come out of nowhere, shocks Ally, as that was definitely not something she'd expected to be brought up in conversation tonight.

She thought they'd already talked about it enough, because trust her when she says this wasn't the first time they'd discussed this topic.

It came as a shock to no one that Ally was made valedictorian. They'd seen that coming a mile away. What also didn't come as a surprise was the huge stack of acceptant letters she'd received from multiple colleges. Great ones too.

The future looked bright for Ally for once in her life. She had been dreaming of the day she could escape the grip of her past for the past five years.

But, along the way priorities had changed. College became something that didn't seem as important as it once was.

That's why Ally threw away the letters. Every single one of them went in the trash and that's all that was said on the matter.

Her dad had been furious which was understandable, but when he started to blame Austin for this was when Ally stepped in to take full responsibility for her actions.

It was simple; she loved Austin and Austin loves her and she wasn't ready to up and leave him. Not when everything was going so well. They could stop being afraid all the time and take time to be normal teenagers. She could finally relax and fully enjoy something and she didn't plan on giving that up anytime soon.

To her own surprise, Austin was the one who need the most convincing. He had the idea implanted in his mind that he was holding Ally back.

She found that ridiculous, seeing as how he was the one who gave her the courage to go after her dreams.

Still, it took a lot to fully convince him she wanted to stay in Miami with him.

That's why it frustrated her so much to here him bring this up again.

"Austin-"

"I know we've already talked about this, but I just want to make sure that this is really what you want." He takes her hands in his, squeezing both. "You have so much potential. Look at all the places that accepted you." Austin lowers both his head and his voice for the next sentence. "I just don't want to be the thing that kept you from being your best."

"If you're asking to choose between you and anything else," she slips her hand out of his and lifts his chin so he can see the truth in her eyes, "I'd choose you. Every time. I want to be with you more than anything and if that means putting off college then so be it."

"You don't have to decide, Ally I wouldn't break up with you if you wanted to go to college," Ally sighs, backing away from Austin and leaning back against the oak tree they're in front of.

"I know that," she says truthfully.

Austin crosses his arms over his chest wondering just how long they'd been standing outside. He figures when it's time someone will come and find them, so doesn't worry about it too much.

"Look, we've been dating for how long?"

Austin's eyes avert back to his girlfriend. He simply shrugs. "Like, one month shy of a whole year."

"Exactly, we've been dating for a long time, but our lives haven't exactly been easy. We haven't really gotten a lot of time to focus on our relationship. Now we have that time and I just don't think it's a good time for me to go to college."

He breathes loudly as his hands return back to his side and he joins Ally in leaning against the tree. Getting her hand and intertwining their fingers.

"So you're really okay with not going to college? At least not for now?"

She smiles up at him. "Yes, I'm really okay with it." Ally gets on her tiptoes to kiss him and he wraps his arms around her waist. Her's go to their rightful place around his neck. They break away from the kiss, but not the hug.

"Well," Austin speaks up, "it looks like you're stuck with me."

"Indeed it does."

"Guess now is as good a time as any to tell you we're going on tour and you're going with us," a smile breaks out on the blond's face at his own words.

"That's nice," Ally's so caught up in their sweet embrace she barely listens to him, but when what he said registers in her mind, she lets go and looks at him almost disbelieving.

"Wait, what?!" Is all she manages to get out.

"The band is going on tour. Jimmy decide it was about time we had one."

"And he's letting me go with you guys? Like to perform?"

Austin nods enthusiastically. "He said that he felt bad about what happened with Kira and wanted to make it up to us."

"This is incredible!" She beams and hugs him tightly once again.

"I thought you might be excited," Austin had to look down at her because even in her heels she's still shorter than him. "I wanted to make sure you really were okay with not going to college before telling you."

For once, Ally Dawson was at a lost for words, so she just snuggles deeper into the embrace.

They stay like that for what feels like for forever, but neither of them really minds. Both could stay like that for hours on end.

Their moment is interrupted when Trish yells at them from the gym entrance. "Hey, lovebirds! Quit being adorable and get your asses in here!"

They peer over to see Dez waving excitedly at them from behind the short Latina.

"Come on," Austin places his hand on the small of back, prodding her forward.

She smiles and leans into his side as they make their way back to the school.

Her future looks bright, even if she's not going to college.

...The End...

**A/N**

**Well, guys, that is the end...**

**...of this story, but there will be a sequel. So, no worries. I don't know when it'll be updated. I probably will procrastinate and not start on it for a couple days. Sorry guys I'm lazy.**

**This was definitely my favorite chapter in the sense that I think it was the best written one I did. Just my opinion.**

**I'm really happy because I've never actually finished a story before so this is a first for me. Woo hoo!**

**So, thanks to jamesmaslow4evz, writermeAL, xX- T Luv -Xx, mono5709, Kathy0518, xxdumbbloniexx and the guest who reviewed. I love you guys! Seriously ya'll rock!**

**Okay, well I guess this is it. :( it's kinda sad.**

**This is me signing off for the last time on HBAT.**

**Kthanxbai! :')**


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